In Case You Need Me
by JSFazz
Summary: House finds himself having impure thoughts about his boss, but perhaps he can get help from from an unlikely source. Hameron!
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Another sleepless night, although it wasn't the drugs or the pain in his leg keeping him up this time. It was his thoughts…damn that overactive imagination of his! He didn't know what was coming over him, but he just couldn't seem to stop thinking about her…her big, brown eyes, deep abysses that seemed to call to him…her chestnut girls bouncing around her face…the delicate, yet authoritative way she placed her hand on her curvy hip as she lectured him…the smoothness of her legs protruding from her tight skirt as she sat at her desk and read through a file…the perfection of her breasts that teased him from the deep cut of her blouse, the tight fabric accentuating every inch of her…

"Damn it!" he shouted, screwing his eyes shut in an attempt to cease his thoughts as he slammed his hands down on his desk.

"Something the matter?" Foreman asked, peeking his head in from the adjoining office.

House's eyes snapped open in surprise. "Don't you have some babysitting to do?" he spat, referring to his new team of fellows.

"No case, they're in the clinic," Foreman replied, entering House's office.

House rolled his eyes. "That's not an invitation for you to come in and get cozy."

Foreman held up his hand. "Trust me, not really what I had in mind. Cuddy asked me to give you these," he said, dropping a pile of papers on his desk.

His ears perked at the mere mention of her name. He cursed again, to himself.

"What did the wicked witch send her little flying monkey to deliver?" House asked, briefly glancing at the papers.

"She said, and I quote, 'if you don't fill out these insurance forms and get them back to me before the end of the day, I'm sending your employees on vacation and leaving the clinic in your more than capable hands,'" Foreman said, grinning wickedly.

"Riveting," said House, standing and walking away from his desk and the stack of paperwork. "You can tell your mistress that I don't take demands very well, and lest she forget, without the infamous, world-renowned Dr. House, she wouldn't have a hospital to play boss lady of," he said through gritted teeth. "And you can quote me verbatim, too."

House stormed out of his office and headed down the hall. Without a knock, he barged into Wilson's office and dropped heavily into the leather chair, sighing.

"Something on your mind?" Wilson asked quietly, his eyes not moving from his notes.

"I'm hungry, feed me," said House, dropped his head back and closing his eyes.

"Didn't we just eat lunch an hour ago?" Wilson asked, his eyes still remaining focused on his writing.

"So, I'm hungry again. The human body is capable of digesting more than one meal a day."

Wilson finally raised his eyes and dropped his pen. "In case you haven't noticed, some of us actually work around here," he said, motioning towards his files.

"So I hear. Cuddy sent insurance forms to me via Foreman in the hopes that I might actually fill them out if they came from him. Do you think it's possible to lose blood flow to the head if your skirts are too tight? 'Cause I swear she's losing it."

House closed his eyes again, memories returning to the forefront of his mind, her ruby red lips turning upwards into a devilish grin, those lips wrapped around his cock…

He pounded a fist into his forehead.

Wilson raised his eyebrows. "Ok, normally I wouldn't even blink at your need to inflict pain upon yourself because, well, it's you…but seriously, what's going on with you?"

House opened his eyes and shook his head. "Just been having some nightmares…haven't been sleeping."

"Nightmares? About what?"

"Oh, the usual, monsters in my closet, in my bed…"

"Huh?" Wilson asked, confused.

"Nevermind. So I take it you're not going to feed me then?" House asked impatiently, standing.

Wilson stared at him a moment. He couldn't help but think House was acting more irrational than usual.

"I can't at the moment, but maybe we can grab a bite closer to dinner?"

"Fine, don't forget the scotch," House grumbled and limped his way out of Wilson's office.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

House spent the remainder of the afternoon in his office in solitude, impatiently waiting for the day to end so he could get another free meal out of Wilson. Foreman had joined the other three in the clinic to make the hours go faster, and House finally decided to go bug someone else until it was time to go.

Stepping off the elevator, he slowly weaved his way through the busy emergency room until he spotted the petite blonde he was seeking out. She looked up as if on cue and met his eyes. Her beauty was undeniable, he knew it, as did every other man in this place. House always found it somewhat amusing that he could have had Cameron with literally a snap of his fingers…well, ok, maybe not that easily, but still it wouldn't have taken much to get her naked in his bed and begging for him to make her come.

He was attracted to her; he couldn't deny that. There was just something about Cameron, though, that didn't do it for him. Maybe it was the way she cared about every single human being, or her loathsome need to stand up for the little guy, defend the weak, speak for the silent…to him she was Mother Teresa reincarnated. Not quite 'fuck my brains out' material.

Yet he had to admit, he didn't know everything about Cameron. Sometimes he caught a glimpse of her stretching, rubbing her hand along her neck, arching her back, occasionally exposing a hint of flesh under her scrubs, running her tongue unconsciously along her lips as she concentrated on something, the sway of her hips when she walked. And of course there was the way she kissed him that one time, albeit to deceive him, the way she moved her lips against his, the way her tongue dueled with his own…yes, he could say Allison Cameron had potential.

Lisa Cuddy, on the other hand…he knew from personal experience. She was the real deal. He remembered all those years ago, the way she moved on top of him, the sounds she made as she grew closer to orgasm, the way she liked to claw her nails down his back as he drove inside her repeatedly until she screamed his name. It was a long time ago, but just as fresh in his mind as what he had eaten for breakfast that morning.

'_That ship has sailed,'_ she had told him, and he wholeheartedly agreed. That ship sailed and sank by now. She stood for everything he hated: authority, everything done by the book, following the rules. So why couldn't he stop thinking about her?

"Wow, you look like shit," Cameron said, snapping him back to reality.

"Hello to you, too," he replied, leaning on the reception desk.

"You ok?" she asked.

"Do I look ok? Oh, wait, you just answered that for me," snarked House.

Cameron returned to jotting notes in her file, ignoring his usual personality quirks. "Are you bored?"

"No case," he said, his eyes glancing around the room. "Busy day?"

"Multi-car accident kept us busy," she said, closing the file and handing it to the nurse behind the desk. "But my shift ends in 20 minutes, and if you ask me, it's not a minute too soon. I am exhausted."

"Boy Wonder keeping you up to the wee hours?" House said, wagging his eyebrows.

"Looks to me like you're the one getting little sleep…your hookers making you think you can screw like a college kid again?"

House smirked. Cameron had definitely changed since she had worked for him. She was stronger, more confident. Not the innocent ingénue she was when she first came to him.

Suddenly the familiar sound of heels clicking against linoleum made his heart stop momentarily. He could even smell her before she reached them…that sickening sweet smell of her perfume that usually made him want to wretch. It still did, but not before he ran his hands all over her body.

"Damn it," he whispered to himself. Cameron narrowed her eyes at him, sensing something was up.

"House," Cuddy snapped.

Her voice was like nails on a chalkboard, yet he cursed under his breath again as he felt his body react to her presence.

"Foreman was kind enough to deliver your message, although I'm sure he put it a bit more eloquently than you originally intended," Cuddy said, standing directly in front of him.

"Excuse you, but we're having a conversation here," House said, motioning towards Cameron. "How do you know we're not discussing a case?"

"Because you have no case."

"But Cameron might…she called me down for a consult."

"Sorry, House, you're on your own for this one," Cameron said, grinning mischievously.

"Remember when I was your boss and I could order you to lie for me?" House said, looking up at the ceiling, pretending to reminisce.

"You're not my boss anymore," she stated matter-of-factly. He met her eyes again.

Just then Chase appeared from around the corner in his coat, his messenger bag draped over his shoulder. Cameron looked up at him and smiled.

"Hey," he said to her.

"Hey," she replied. "Done?"

"Yep, you ready to go?"

"Got a few more minutes on my shift," Cameron replied.

"Ok, I'll hang out," said Chase.

Cuddy smiled at House victoriously. He rolled his eyes. "I believe you have a stack of insurance forms on your desk to complete, Dr. House. Either fill them out or you'll be doing clinic from 9 to 5 for two weeks straight."

He stared into her eyes, the hatred filling him laced with a desire that had him so heated he fought back the urge to pull his collar from constricting his throat. Cameron noticed a sheen of sweat form on his forehead as she studied him.

"Have a good night Cameron and Chase," Cuddy said, smiling at them before shooting daggers at House with her eyes and clicking back down the hall.

"You sure you're ok?" Cameron questioned him. "You look a little pale…and sweaty."

"Yeah, I thought you were unphased by Cuddy," Chase added. "Looks like she's got you all hot and bothered."

_Interesting, _Cameron thought to herself.

House glared at them both and turned without a response, limping quickly back to the elevator. Once safely inside, alone, he wiped his brow and steadied his breathing. He felt himself growing angrier with his own body, the way it was betraying him, ignoring his will.

"Traitor," he said, looking down at his groin. "She's poison, and you know that. So stop reacting to her and let me think with my other head for once in my life. I'm in control, not you."

The doors opened and he saw Wilson heading down the hallway towards his office.

_Finally_, he thought, pulling his trusty orange vial from his pocket and popping two Vicodin into his mouth. _I need a drink._


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: **I feel the need to explain after reading some reviews that yes, this is indeed a HAMERON fic. I warned you in my summary that it will start off Huddy-like, and even some Chameron. I'm following the vibe of the show, but being a devoted Hameronite, I will get those two together before long. So don't worry, I won't betray my fellow Hameron devotees. But I don't want to give too much away so please just keep reading and it will all unfold. Thanks for reading!

**Chapter 3**

"So, are you going to talk about it or are you just going to wallow in your usual misery?" Wilson asked, sticking a piece of steak in his mouth while he watched his friend sulk in the booth across from him.

House sighed into his scotch before taking a sip and relishing the warmth of the liquid as it burned down his throat. He remained silent as he stared blankly at his empty plate.

"Ok, so I'll take that as a no," Wilson said, cutting another piece of steak. If his friend wanted to sit in silence, he wouldn't push him. Never piss off a tiger that's ready to pounce.

Wilson glanced around the crowded bar, seeing some familiar faces from the hospital and other not-so-familiar faces. The women there tonight were aplenty, and most extremely attractive. One or two caught his eye and smiled at him. Turning on his boyish charm, he blushed and smiled at them, making them melt where they stood.

"You looking for your next alimony payment, or just to get laid tonight," House sniped.

"I wouldn't mind a little female companionship. It's been a while," Wilson said quietly, still making eye contact with one particular red head by the bar.

"Oh, yeah, it's been a whole week since I last saw you with that nurse from peds," House said, downing the last of his drink and raising his glass towards the waitress at the next table.

"That was nothing, just some friendly conversation," Wilson said, looking over at House. "She wasn't my type."

"Why, was she really a man?"

Wilson rolled his eyes and shook his head.

House couldn't help but notice the smear of barbecue sauce on Wilson's bottom lip and left cheek. He fought back the urge to laugh.

"Why don't you go over and talk to her?" House said, shrugging. Embarrassing his best and only friend sounded like appealing entertainment at the moment.

Wilson ran his fingers through his hair and chuckled. "Maybe I will."

"Go get her, stud," House said, winking at him. "Twenty bucks says you don't come back with her number."

"Twenty bucks? You're on," Wilson said, standing and throwing his napkin on the table.

_You might need that_, House thought to himself, grinning inwardly. He watched the ice swirl around the bottom of his empty glass nonchalantly as his friend made his way towards the red head.

He made himself a bit more comfortable in the booth as the waitress delivered his refill and watched the scene play out before him. He felt an evil smile creep across his face as he watched the red head giggle to herself while Wilson stood talking to her, his hand on his hip, trying to appear relaxed and cool. He wanted to bust out laughing when the girl finally pointed to Wilson's cheek laughing and Wilson, flustered, grabbed a napkin from the bar, wiping his face in embarrassment. And then, finally, he wanted to cringe as he watched the girl giggle again, touch Wilson's arm, and then eventually jot something down on a different napkin and hand it to Wilson.

By the time Wilson made his way back to their booth, grinning from ear to ear, House downed the remainder of his scotch.

"Thanks for the warning about the barbecue sauce painted across my face," Wilson said. "You thought you had me there, didn't you. But I do believe you owe me twenty bucks," he said, waving the napkin in front of him with her phone number sprawled across it.

"Put it on my tab," House snarled. "You're lucky you're so cute and can make them quiver in their strawberry shortcake panties with a mere look."

"It's a gift," Wilson said, pocketing the napkin.

Just then, the door opened and a crowd entered the bar. House looked up and noticed Cameron and Chase with a group of young people like themselves. Wilson followed House's gaze. Cameron met their eyes and smiled. Wilson waved.

Cameron leaned in close to Chase and said something to him. He looked over at Wilson and House and waved as Cameron walked towards them. Chase held back with his group.

"Hey guys," Cameron said, standing next to their table. "I didn't know you'd be here."

"We thought we'd grab some dinner after work," Wilson said, sliding over so she could sit.

"Thanks," she said, sliding in to the booth next to him.

"Friends of yours?" House asked, not really caring.

"Well, they're more like Chase's friends. I think he's trying to get me to be closer friends with his friends, you know? So we could hang out with them more frequently." Cameron stared blankly at the table top.

"But you don't agree?" Wilson asked, noticing her expression.

She shrugged. "They're ok, but I really don't have anything in common with them. They're kind of a rowdy bunch. Not really my thing. I'd rather snuggle up with a good book and a glass of wine than go to bar after bar every night and get trashed. I don't know how Chase does it. I'm usually exhausted after work."

House glanced over at the group and noticed a cute brunette in a halter top and tight jeans lean in close to Chase and whisper something in his ear. He smiled and dropped his head, nodding. The girl then rubbed her hands over Chase's chest, pretending to wipe something from his shirt before she giggled flirtatiously and sipped from her straw, doe eyes wide, drinking him in.

House looked back at Cameron, completely oblivious as her back was to them.

"You may want to put a leash on your boyfriend there," said House.

Cameron turned from Wilson and looked at him.

"What did you say?" she asked.

"Looks like Chase's little entourage includes more than just good buddies."

Cameron turned and saw Chase chugging his beer, his friends laughing around him, and one girl a bit too close for comfort. Cameron's heart jumped into her throat, not at the sight of the girl standing a little too close, but at the fact that Chase was not discouraging her…especially knowing Cameron was in the room.

Cameron turned back and laughed nervously. "That's Alicia. She's what I like to call a 'friendly drunk,' meaning when she's had one too many, she gets a little too 'friendly,' if you know what I mean."

Wilson nodded. "Yeah, I've known a few women like that."

"And how did that work out for you?" House asked, raising his eyebrows. Wilson thought a moment, recalling the reason for his second divorce.

"You might want to say something to Chase," Wilson warned her.

"Oh, please. First of all Chase wouldn't cheat on me, and second of all, especially not with Alicia."

"Trusting, aren't we?" House said, looking around for the waitress and another refill.

Cameron glared at him. "Some people are actually capable of putting their trust in another person," she spat.

He shrugged. "Fine, don't come running to us when he breaks your heart."

Cameron felt the anger rise inside her and she stood. "And don't come running to us when you finally break from burying your feelings about Cuddy."

House looked up at her in surprise. How did she know? Something in her eyes answered him. From day one, Cameron had an uncanny ability to read him like a book. He would often tell her that she was wrong, when in reality she would be dead on. He broke his incredulous stare and moved his eyes to the empty glass in his hand.

Cameron turned on her heel and walked purposefully back to the group. House and Wilson watched Chase straighten up and move a bit away from Alicia at Cameron's approach. Some satisfaction came over House as he watched Cameron pull Chase away from the group and speak forcefully to him. Chase laughed and shrugged and shook her away before Cameron's death glare at him finally broke and she left the bar in a huff. Chase looked down at the floor then up, meeting House's eyes and shaking his head before turning back to his friends and ordering another round.

Wilson turned to House.

"Now is there something you want to talk about?"


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"Nope," House replied nonchalantly.

Wilson stared at him. "You have no response to what Cameron just said?"

House remained silent.

"About having feelings for Cuddy?" Wilson continued.

House sighed and looked up at Wilson.

"Yes, actually I do have something to tell you," House said.

Wilson raised his eyebrows in expectation.

"I've grown bored of your company. Thanks for the scotch and the steak," he said, rising and grabbing his leather coat.

Wilson shook his head as his friend walked away from him, and from yet another messy situation in his life. As hard as he tried and despite his better judgment, Wilson didn't think he'd ever be able to figure that man out.

House began to feel a bit claustrophobic, Cameron's words still echoing in his ears. He had to get out of there, out into the night, let the chill in the air bring him back to his senses. He caught Chase's eyes on his way out, noticing that Alicia girl still curled close to his side. He could sense Chase was angry just by his demeanor, a result obviously of whatever Cameron had said to him before storming out.

Ain't love grand? Why the hell would he want that unnecessary stress in his life? He'd been there done that, and it did nothing to improve his life, only made it worse. Relationships were jokes. It should only be about sex.

But even sex gets messy…in a manner of speaking.

Chase looked away from House and back to his friend who was in the middle of telling what House could only assume was a really bad joke. Drunk people never told good jokes. They could never get the punchline right.

House shook his head at Chase and opened the door, letting it fall closed behind him. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, the cold winter night calming him. For someone with ice in his veins and in his heart, cold air could do that.

Suddenly images of her flashed behind his eyes, how tight her shirt was that day, the way her hips swung from side to side as she walked authoritatively away from him. The swell of her lips as she berated him for disobeying.

His eyes shot open and he sulked back to his bike, revving the engine and speeding like hell out of there.

The next day proved equally as uneventful as the day before. House managed to hide in his office all day and even avoid Cuddy, but he heard rumor that there was a big Board meeting the next day so no doubt she was up to her gazongas in paperwork preparing for that. He knew she was feeling pressure from the Board to find new donors, which no doubt was the reason she had been yelling at him more than usual the past few days.

Even Wilson spared House the annoyance of having to listen to his holier than thou rhetoric and psycho-babble. The stack of insurance forms still sat uncompleted atop his desk, and they would stay that way.

For once House felt himself enjoying the silence of uninterruptions, and he reclined back in his seat, his iPod tuned to jazz, his eyes fluttering closed and the hint of a smile on his face.

The feel of someone kicking the back of his feet startled him and he sat up in his chair, pulling the buds from his ears. It was Foreman.

"What the hell?" House snapped.

"I've been knocking on your door for five minutes and calling your name for the past 30 seconds," said Foreman.

"And I didn't respond for a reason," said House, turning off his iPod and showing it to Foreman. "Why do you think I bring this to work?"

Foreman rolled his eyes.

"Do we have a case?" House asked.

"No," Foreman said, sighing. "I wanted to run something by you."

"Need strategies to pull of your next bank robbery?"

"About the team," Foreman continued, ignoring him.

"I don't think Taub has the coordination to be your getaway car driver, although I bet 13 looks hot in a black ski mask."

"I think it might benefit them to do something other than clinic during these down times," said Foreman. "I thought maybe we could work something out with some of the other departments letting them sit in on cases, observing surgeries, things like that."

"You mean letting them partake in your every day, run-of-the-mill, easily diagnosed ailments?" House asked, widening his eyes. "How dull."

"Maybe for you, but they're bored to tears. There's only so many runny noses you can treat. This way they'll be able to exercise their expertise a bit more and maybe find challenges pop up."

House narrowed his eyes at Foreman. "Was this idea yours or Cuddy's?"

Foreman laughed. "What, I'm not capable of having an idea?"

House shot him a questioning glance.

"And besides, don't you think Cuddy would rather have them in the clinic, even if it was to do your hours?"

He had a point. "Fine, start your little high school club, but this is your baby. They screw with somebody else's patient, it's on you."

Foreman nodded his understanding and stood. "Chase said we could scrub in…"

"Chase," House interrupted. "And how is the boy scout today?" House recalled the prior evening, and couldn't help but be curious.

Foreman shrugged. "Fine, I guess. Well…"

House looked at Foreman, waiting.

"I guess he seems a bit more on edge today. I think he and Cameron had a fight." Foreman sighed and shook his head. "I warned him."

"About?"

"That he'd probably get hurt."

House stood and walked to the window, staring out at the afternoon sky. "You think Cameron hurt Chase?"

"Please," Foreman scoffed. "He's been following her around like a lost puppy for the past three years."

"So you think she's taking advantage of him?"

"Yes," Foreman stated bluntly.

House turned to face him. "And you think you know her so well to just say that?"

"I think I've been forced to pay attention to their budding relationship for the past three years, unlike you who just chose to pretend it wasn't even there, and therefore yes, I do know her well enough to say that."

"Wow, you really are turning into me," House exclaimed, snickering. Foreman's face slowly turned to stone. "Have fun at your surgery," House finished and sat back in his chair.

Foreman turned on his heel and left the office. Almost simultaneously, Wilson entered and House threw his head back on the seat. He almost made it through the day without this.

Wilson let the door close behind him and remained planted two feet inside the office.

"Look, I know you don't feel like hearing this right now, so I'm just going to say my schpeel and be on my way. If you have feelings for Cuddy, that's no big deal. She's an amazing woman, she's incredibly beautiful, intelligent, and accomplished. Why shouldn't you have feelings for her? And besides, you two have a history. So if you're beating yourself up on whether you should or shouldn't go down that road again, stop. Just ask her out and see what happens. You may find it works out, or if it doesn't, at least you would have taken the chance instead of lived with the regret of not."

Wilson shoved his hands into his pockets in conclusion and stared at House for a moment, expecting, and he didn't know why, some sort of retort.

But House just stared right back at him, registering, and he didn't know why, his every word.

"Right, well, then, I'll…I'll just…go," Wilson stammered before turning around and walking out of the office.

Minutes later House grabbed his cane for dear life and headed towards the elevator and Cuddy's office. This had to end. The doors opened and House looked up to find Chase standing like a statue in the corner.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

House hesitated a moment before stepping onto the elevator. He pressed the button for the first floor with his cane and leaned back on the hand rail opposite Chase. They both stared blankly at the numbers descending above the door.

"Good night?" House finally asked, inwardly smirking.

Chase didn't respond.

"That good, huh?"

"It's none of your business, House," Chase said coldly. House watched Chase out of the corner of his eye, studying him. He was rigid, his eyes fixed as if he were playing something over and over in his head…or rehearsing a speech. Turning his head to look at Chase straight on, House also noticed the hint of what looked like a bruise on his shoulder peeking out from the collar of his scrubs.

House turned his attention back at the numbers.

"Going down…on your way to the ER to visit your schnookums?" House asked.

Chase cleared his throat and shifted his weight.

"You'd better find a pretty lab coat to throw on to hide that hickey on your shoulder. Guess Alicia likes to leave souvenirs…a little something to remember her by?"

The elevator halted on the first floor and the doors opened. At the same time Chase turned and took two steps towards House, getting directly in his face.

"I said it's none of your damn business!" he shouted. For a moment House saw something threatening in his eyes, but behind that, there was something else. Hurt. Shame. Sorrow.

And then Chase was gone, storming off the elevator. House stepped out and watched him retreat down the hall towards the ER. Somewhere deep inside him he felt sorry for Cameron, and what was coming her way.

Shaking it off, he turned in the opposite direction towards his own doom. He couldn't be bothered with the relationship problems of his former underlings right now. He had his own to worry about.

Her office came into view and he felt a lump form in his throat. Glancing through the glass doors, he could see he was right…she was frantically reviewing forms and flipping through files, occasionally moving her gaze over her computer. Her cheeks were flushed and she was chewing on her pen, something she always did when she was stressed. Her desk was usually decorated with chewed pens.

Cuddy's assistant was on the phone when House approached. She looked up at him then in at Cuddy. She nodded towards House, which she usually did since she knew House wouldn't listen to her if she told him to wait anyway, and continued her conversation.

House hesitantly opened the door and stepped inside. Cuddy looked up at him, pen in her mouth.

"What do you want, House? I don't have time for…"

"Have dinner with me," he blurted out, much to his own surprise as it was to her own.

After an awkward moment of silence, she laughed. "House, please, I don't have time for your crap right now. I have a Board meeting tomorrow and I'm trying to get these figures together for…"

"You have to eat, right?"

Cuddy dropped her pen and file on her desk and rolled her chair back, regarding him a bit more closely. She crossed her legs and House gripped his cane tighter as the sight of her smooth, silky legs barring him entrance to more delectable parts of her nearly undid him.

He screwed his eyes shut, willing the thoughts to disappear before he completely embarrassed himself.

"What are you doing?" Cuddy asked, still studying him.

"What?" House asked incredulously. "I can't ask my coworker out to dinner?"

"I'm not your coworker, I'm your boss."

"If that gets you off."

"House, if you're playing one of your little games right now, I'm not in the mood," she said, closing her eyes and rubbing her temples with her fingers. She sighed heavily, and House watched mesmerized as her chest heaved up and down, the buttons of her blouse threatening to pop open.

He felt a twinge within his pants. _No, not now_, he screamed internally.

"Fine, you don't eat dinner? Oh, right, I forgot…midnight is typically feeding time for your kind, right? What's the fare tonight, small children? Cattle?"

Cuddy laughed and he felt his insides quiver.

"Are you asking me out, House? Are you seriously asking me out?" she exclaimed.

He shrugged and looked down at the floor. "What if I was?"

Cuddy stared at him slack jawed before standing and walking around to the front of her desk. Her closeness made him suddenly aware of how good she smelled…like cinnamon and something bittersweet.

She crossed her arms in front of her chest as she leaned her bottom on the top of her desk, accentuating her cleavage. It took all he had to look her in the eye and show no reaction.

_What the hell is the matter with me?_ he shouted to himself. He suddenly felt the need to diagnose himself because whatever this was, it had to be a neurological disorder of some kind.

"House, look, I'm not going to pretend I haven't noticed the way you've been acting towards me lately," she began. "I mean, you're usually an ass to me, but lately it seems to be more of an effort for you. Almost like a little boy being a bully to a little girl he likes in school just to prove otherwise…but he still likes her nonetheless."

"You think I like you?" House scoffed.

Cuddy smiled knowingly at him. "I told you…I can't go down that road with you again. We've been there, done that. It wouldn't work. We'd kill each other within a week. But I am flattered."

Suddenly House felt anger surging through him. She was shooting him down. She was saying no. She was saying she did not reciprocate these feelings. And no matter how much he felt he hated her right now, he was still incredibly turned on by the sight of her.

"Don't be," he spat. "I was just doing you a favor since no other man will touch you."

She blinked.

"Your desperate need to become mother of the century has made you so unappealing. Tell me, is that the first subject you bring up on all these blind dates you've been going on, that you're hoping it works out so he can be your potential sperm donor? Surprising, isn't it, that they don't call for a second date?" he seethed.

Cuddy was speechless, and her eyes glassed over with tears she refused to shed.

"You can be a real bastard, you know that?" she whispered, turning her back to him and sitting back behind her desk, burying herself in her work once more.

"And you're pathetic," he said, turning quickly and throwing open her door.

He was so angry he felt like hitting something. Not to mention he was experiencing the worst sexual frustration of his life. He didn't bother to go back to his office. He had to head home and hit the speed dial button on his phone for his preferred escort service. He needed the release, not caring whose mouth he released into at that moment.

Grabbing the keys from his pocket, he headed straight for his bike parked in the handicapped spot, but the sound of a car refusing to start momentarily caught his attention.

Looking back at the row of cars in the next aisle, he noticed Cameron desperately trying to start her car while tears streamed down her cheeks. She finally gave up and started beating the hell out of the steering wheel while shouting an array of curse words. His anger subsided for the moment as his curiosity took over.

Limping towards her car, he tapped on the window with the top of his cane. She looked up at him in surprise, her cheeks stained with tears, her eyes swollen, nose red. She was in nothing but her scrubs and her whole body was shivering. Obviously she had run right out of the ER for her car, not stopping for her coat.

She turned away from House and frantically wiped at her eyes before rolling the window down.

"Car trouble?" he asked.

"Won't start," she said shakily.

"Move over," he said as he opened the door. She slid across to the other seat without question. He slowly turned the key and the engine started right up. Cameron shook her head and let out a small chuckle.

"Figures," she whispered.

He flipped on the heat and sat back, staring out the windshield.

"Lose a patient?" he asked.

She shook her head in response.

"Break a nail?" he asked again.

She managed to choke out another stifled laugh.

"I noticed Chase heading to the ER…" he said, voice trailing off.

He heard her sniff as she turned her head to look away from him, raising her hand to her mouth to contain her sobs.

"I'm guessing he told you he slept with that girl at the bar last night," House said, looking at her.

She turned her head quickly in surprise.

"How did you know?"

He shrugged. "I saw him on the elevator." And that was all he needed to say. Cameron knew House could see through people, especially when they've done something wrong.

She shook her head and the tears began to fall again. She really did look pitiful, sitting in her own car and crying hysterically over a man she didn't even want year ago. Yet here she was, heart breaking before him. Foreman was wrong. Cameron was the one taken advantage of.

"I think we could both use a drink," House said, and put the car into drive.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

House pulled Cameron's car to a stop in front of his apartment. She looked up at the familiar building warily.

"Here?" she asked.

He turned off the car and handed her the keys.

"I don't know about you, but I plan on getting shit-faced tonight and don't foresee myself possessing the capability of driving home from anywhere," he said, opening the door and stepping out of the car.

Cameron stepped out too, closing the door behind her.

"And what am I supposed to do?"

"Get shit-faced with me…I think it will do us both some good to consume alcohol the way it was meant to be consumed, until we've properly wiped out a few dozen brain cells and scrubbed away the catastrophe that was today."

He turned back to see her still standing by the car, mulling the idea over in her head. He sighed and rolled his eyes.

"And I will sleep wherever I pass out…you're welcome to the bed," he continued. She looked up at him, eyes still red and swollen. "Or there's your car, take it and go home. I'll get a cab in the morning to take me back to the hospital."

He turned back towards the door and inserted his key into the lock. He could care less whether Cameron joined him or not at that point. All he knew was there was a large bottle of Jack Daniels awaiting him inside. His anger still burned within him, and he inwardly screamed as he continued seeing images of Cuddy flash behind his eyes, despite his hatred for her at that moment. He was still enticed by her.

Throwing open the door he shrugged off his coat and let it fall to the floor while making a bee-line for the kitchen. Hearing the door shut, he looked over his shoulder to find a meek Cameron standing in front of it.

"I'll get you a glass," he said before continuing into the kitchen.

Cameron made her way into his apartment, feeling numb. She really didn't know what to do at that moment. All she could think of was Chase with that girl…in his bed, where they so often made love. Love…she laughed to herself. At least that's what she thought she had with him…didn't she? Or maybe she just pushed herself to believe that's what it was, because she had been searching so long for it and desperately needed to have something meaningful in her life. Once upon a time she had believed in miracles…believed the man whose apartment she now sat in would melt the ice around his heart and love her back. But that had been a lost cause. Chase had been real…he had wanted more with her. And damn it, she deserved that.

And then he went and threw it all away. Threw away the best damn thing that ever happened to him…for what? For one night with that whore. Cameron could feel the anger surging within her, and when House appeared out of nowhere dangling a small glass in front of her, she snatched it from his hand and downed the amber liquid in a flash.

"I'm going to need a bigger glass," she said, coughing as the liquor burned its way down her throat and into her heart.

Two hours later, Cameron lay sprawled on House's leather sofa staring into a haze. House was slumped in the nearby recliner, an empty bottler resting comfortably in his hand. The sounds of jazz echoed through the apartment as they both lay entranced. At some point House insisted on the CDs, not only to make the uncomfortable silence a bit more bearable, but to drown out Cuddy's words still nagging at him.

The music soothed Cameron, and she finally closed her eyes, letting it take her in. She saw Chase's face, his bright eyes and youthful smile, and she suddenly felt her hands balling into fists. She really wanted to beat the shit out of him and wipe that grin off his face.

"He thinks he's God's gift to women," she blurted out, not realizing she had spoken out loud.

House opened his bleary eyes and looked at her.

"Isn't he?" House asked, eyebrows raised.

Cameron shot her eyes open and turned her head. The effects of the alcohol had certainly taken her over, but had not impeded her movements entirely. Slowly she sat up and rested her elbows on her knees, her eyes staring at nothing. For some reason all she wanted to do at that point was talk.

"That was my first impression of him, you know? When you first hired us? Young, good looking doctor, full of himself, coming from a life where everything was handed to him on a silver platter," she rattled on.

House half listened, half inebriated, his own issues with romance plaguing him.

She couldn't stop herself. "But he tried so hard…so hard to lead us all to believe he could stand on his own two feet, that he was where he was in life because he strived to get there. That he could give his whole heart to a woman and have it mean more than just sex. And he really had me going…I really fell for it…I'm such an idiot."

Lowering her head, she looked at her empty glass and frowned, then looked over at the empty bottle nestled in House's hand. Her frown deepened.

He finally looked at her and followed her gaze. "I think there's another bottle around here somewhere…" He started to get up.

"So what's your sob story," Cameron said, catching him off guard. He staggered a bit before finding his balance and leaning against the wall.

"No story to tell," he said.

Cameron stood shakily and walked a few steps before stopping. "Oh come on, I was right wasn't I. You do have feelings for Cuddy."

She walked a few dizzying steps closer.

"Was that why you were running away from the hospital almost as fast as I was?" she asked.

House chuckled. "I can't run, remember?"

She shrugged. "I was metaphorically speaking. What happened? Did she shoot you down?"

House turned abruptly towards her, his eyes like daggers attacking her with their steely blue tips. She raised her eyebrows and began to laugh.

His eyes softened as he questioned her with a look.

"Oh, House, I'm not laughing at you," she said, laughing harder now. She bent over and braced her hands on her thighs, literally doubling over in a fit of laughter. Holding up a hand, she promised it wasn't at him.

"I'm glad I could be here to amuse you," he spat. "Just because you felt the need to burden me with your troubles and spill your guts with the sputtering delusions of a love sick idiot, and yes I'm referring to you, does not mean I need, nor want to bear my soul to you. You don't know shit about me."

She straightened up and took in a deep breath, the room spinning slightly as she did so. She grabbed the back of the chair for support.

"Ignorance is bliss, right," she said, her smile disappearing as they stared at each other. He broke their stare and moved his eyes to the floor.

Cameron regarded him a moment. She had seen him in this state many times before…when Stacy came back and he sent her away, dealing with being shot, his troubles with Tritter, throughout his Vicodin addiction, his leg pain, his own internal battles with himself and his past…she knew him well enough now to know when he was hurting emotionally.

He had needs, just like she did…he wanted to give his heart to someone, and it was rejected, just like her own. He reluctantly put his faith and hope into something, wary of its outcome, only to have it thrown back in his face…just like her. Everything in his universe was out of sync, just as her own universe was out of balance at that moment. Despite what he and everyone else thought, Greg House was human after all.

She was thoroughly convinced now that love did not exist…something House discovered a long time ago. It was simply hormones, chemicals, synapses in the brain…it was all physiological. There was nothing emotional about it. So why did people build their whole lives around it?

Cameron stared at him for what seemed like an eternity, and he finally began to feel his skin crawl under her scrutiny.

"I'll go find that bottle," he said, grabbing his cane and limping towards the bedroom. Once there, he looked around the room and noticed the glass neck of the familiar bottle poking out from behind a few books on the shelf. He limped over and removed it, eyeing up the level of the liquid.

"I have a proposition for you," said Cameron, startling him and nearly making him drop the bottle.

"Jesus, didn't anyone ever tell you not to sneak up on an old man, especially when he's drunk," House said, turning to face her. Glancing down, he noticed she was barefoot, probably why he didn't hear her coming down the hall. When had she taken off her shoes?

She moved closer to him and took the bottle from his hand, screwing open the cap and taking a swig from the bottle. Grimacing as the liquor slid down her throat, she closed her eyes and felt her body slip deeper into a haze. Whiskey was good stuff.

House watched her intently, the way her lips covered the tip of the bottle in a perfect circle, the way the stray drops of whiskey reflected the light off her lips. Her tongue peeked out and ran over their surface, lapping up the remaining drops and savoring the taste, and he felt something inside him tighten.

"What's your proposition," he finally said, his voice low, his eyes transfixed on her lips.

Cameron opened her eyes and locked with his. They were both completely drunk, and she remembered that being the last coherent thought in her head. What she spoke next came from nowhere in particular…well, perhaps somewhere deep inside her, from a place she had buried deep, from a feeling she thought she had all but given up on.

"We're both hurting, we're both feeling rejected," she began, and House looked away. He turned his back and put his hand up on the shelf. "And whether you can admit it or not, your heart is breaking just as much as mine. So I'm going to shut it off. I'm through putting my emotions out on the line only to have them crushed."

House snickered, shaking his head and looking up at the ceiling. Cameron knew her words were getting through…that he was admitting defeat as much as she was.

"But the need is still there," she said quietly, almost whispering. "And satisfying that need makes the pain go away."

Placing the bottle atop his nightstand, she walked closer to him and put her hand on his shoulder. He jumped slightly, not expecting the touch, and turned to face her, curious.

"It's us against them, House," she said, lifting her fingers to gently caress his rough jaw line. She hungrily drank in the sight of his lips opening slightly in anticipation, much like they had done when she kissed him all those months before with the hopes of getting a drop of his blood. How whorish, just like he'd said.

"You scratch my itch, and I'll scratch yours?" House said, following her train of thought. His hands moved instinctively to her small waist.

Cameron nodded and sucked in her breath at the feel of his large hands on her hips. Her reaction to his touch caused his own breath to grow shallow. She was right, he did have a need, a frustration that had been growing from weeks of impure thoughts over a woman he despised, a woman who had crushed him and brushed him off like some annoying fan.

House slammed his lips to Cameron's, devouring her in an attempt to push away the pain in his heart.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

They quickly moved to the bed; how they got there, neither had a clue. Their kiss was fevered, passionate, but sloppy as the effects of the alcohol intertwined with their desperate need to satiate their hunger.

Cameron fell back on the bed, giggling as the room spun around her. House reached down and grabbed her scrub pants by the waist, pulling them off her legs in one movement. Cameron sat up and pulled off her shirt, momentarily getting tangled in its confines as she slid it over her head.

She fell back as he climbed on top of her, his hands groping her body like a horny teenager. The sight of her pink lace underwear excited him despite the fact that he absolutely despised the color pink. It was the color lipstick Cuddy liked to wear when she went to meet with a potential donor….

_Damn it!_ he shouted inside his head. Groaning, he clamped his teeth down on Cameron's shoulder and she cried out in painful pleasure. Her hands frantically fumbled at his t-shirt, trying to shed him of his own clothing. Assisting her to the best of his ability, he was finally in nothing but his boxer shorts, the thin fabrics barring them from taking this any farther.

House pulled back, both of them panting as their bodies welcomed fresh oxygen.

"Do we know what we're doing?" he asked, furrowing his brow as he attempted to read her.

"Who cares," she grinned, wrapping her legs around his hips. He closed his eyes and growled. "It feels too good to stop…and right now I want to feel something other than the pain in here." She placed her hand over her heart and House caught the hint of tears welling up in her eyes.

No, no crying. He couldn't go through with this if she started to cry. But she was right, he had to admit this all felt amazing, whatever it was they were doing. She was beautiful, and she wanted him, which was more than he could say about the woman he'd prefer to be with at the moment.

He slammed his lips onto hers once more, their tongues continuing their lustful dance as they both hungrily sought sweet satisfaction. At that moment Cameron needed to feel something other than the pain Chase had caused her, and House was the only one who could do that for her. And House needed to feel like he was wanted, desired after being turned away by the one woman who haunted his thoughts lately, and Cameron volunteered to aid him.

House hands slid down her torso as she writhed beneath him, the head radiating off her skin. He hooked a finger under the waistband of her panties and yanked them down and off her legs. Cameron sighed in delight as she raised her arms over her head and stretched. He pulled down his boxers just enough to release his straining erection. They weren't making love here, so he saw no need to be gentle or take their time. She didn't seem to complain.

Cameron moaned at the feel of him rubbing the tip of his erection at her entrance, lubricating himself with her. He bent his head to look down and watch as he pushed himself inside of her, then quickly met her eyes as they both sucked in their breath at the feeling of their bodies joining.

They remained still a moment, her body adjusting to his size. Cameron momentarily forgot how to breathe, but her body continued to react as she opened her legs wider, inviting him in deeper. House closed his eyes at the feeling of her moist warmth sliding him in deeper. She raised her hips up off the bed as he slid out of her and thrust back in hard. Cameron cried out and threw her head back, screwing her eyes shut and digging her nails into his bare shoulders.

He hissed but kept his eyes transfixed on her, mesmerized by her facial contortions as he continued his rhythmic thrusts.

"Oh, fuck, yes," she said through gritted teeth, and he never thought those words sounded sexier. They only urged him to move faster, to pound harder.

Cameron opened her eyes and ran her hands across his forehead, wiping the sweat into his hairline before grabbing his hair in her fists as he brought her closer to the edge.

"Fuck me harder, House…harder," she moaned. He grimaced as he attempted to oblige her, ignoring the pain in his leg and the fact that he was ready to come already.

"Yessss…." she screamed as he graciously felt her walls clamp around him, finally welcoming his own release. And just like that it was over, quick and to the point. Alcohol and Vicodin had that effect, not to mention he wasn't as young as he used to be.

He dropped his forehead to her shoulder for a moment while they both attempted to regulate their breathing. Then he slid out of her and rolled on to his back. They lay next to each other like jello until their breathing finally slowed and both drifted into a drunken slumber.

Cameron slowly opened her eyes to the glaring sunlight streaming through the window. Cursing, she turned to her other side, immediately regretting the quick movement as the pounding pain in her head came on strong like someone had just whacked her with a baseball bat.

Squeezing her eyes shut, she tentatively raised her hands to her forehead as if touching it would cause even more pain.

After a minute she opened her eyes again and glanced around the room. It took her a second to remember where she was, and whose bed she was in. She remembered bits and pieces of the previous night, mostly the amount of whiskey that was involved. She also recalled how she ended up in her present position, although the memories were hazy at best. If anything, the soreness between her legs was a reminder.

She had sex with House. Holy shit. And not the good kind…it was drunk sex, the kind of sex that always ended up a mistake, should've never happened in the first place. The kind of sex that was always rushed and awkward. Not exactly what she had imagined all those times she fantasized about being with him.

Looking down the length of her body she found herself clad only in her pink bra. The blue sheet was draped partially over her leg, leaving the rest of her exposed. Suddenly, the sound of a loud snore caused her heart to jump into her throat. He was still in bed with her.

Slowly turning her head she looked back in the direction she had awoken to, lifting a hand to block the harsh sunlight. He was lying on his stomach, his left leg bent, his arms tucked under his pillow. She only saw the back of his head as he faced the opposite direction. The blankets were bunched under his legs, as if they became entangled while he tossed and turned during the night. Her eyes trailed down his bare back, over the red-tinged marks left by her fingernails. She hadn't remembered doing that, but she wasn't surprised. The muscles in his back twitched and tensed. Her eyes continued to move over his form and stopped at his boxers. He had never even taken them off. How romantic.

And he was snoring...loudly. She slowly shook her head at the stupidity she felt and berated herself for letting herself get so drunk and do something so irresponsible. She carefully sat up, hoping in doing so to keep her pulsing headache to a minimum and to not awaken House. He was the last person she wanted to be faced with at that moment.

Standing she tip toed delicately around the room, finding her clothes and quietly entered the bathroom, closing the door softly behind her. Opening his medicine cabinet, she graciously found a bottle of ibuprofen, taking two from the container and popping them into her mouth. Turning on the faucet, she filled her cupped hands with water and drank before dabbing her mouth dry with a hand towel.

Sighing, she glanced up at her reflection in the mirror. Oh, she was a sight. Her hair was a tossled, tangled mess. Her eyes were framed by dark, sunken rings, and her lips were bruised and swollen from House's forceful kisses. Her chin and nose were rubbed raw, no doubt from his trademark stubble. Her eyes moved to her shoulders and the light bruise forming there…were those bite marks? Had he bitten her at some point?

Her eyes met their reflection once more, and then she felt it. The shame, the hurt, the anguish…they had all been buried under the alcohol, attempted to be driven away by having sex with House. But they remained. It would take more than her meager attempts to quell them. They were there, and they surfaced with a vengeance.

She started to cry uncontrollably. She wanted to scream, to claw her hair out, but she managed to hold back. She couldn't lose it here…not here. Not with House passed out in the next room.

Leaning against the wall she slid down until she was seated on the cold tile floor. Her body racked with sobs as she held her hand firmly over her mouth, trying not to make a sound as her emotions poured out.

After a few minutes she managed to pull herself together enough to get dressed. Rubbing furiously at her damp eyes, she quietly opened the door and peeked into the bedroom. He was still in the same position, thankfully. Padding barefoot into the living room, she found her shoes and quickly put them on before grabbing her purse and leaving the apartment.

She practically ran to her car, jumped in and sped off for home and a steaming hot shower. She wondered if the hot water would last long enough for her to scrub away the shame and pain she felt from the two men she thought most of in this world.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

House groaned, his eyes remaining closed, but the throbbing in his leg and his head yanked him forcefully from his sleep. Reaching out a hand he blindly felt for his nightstand and the trusty orange bottle he always kept there. He felt the lamp, the clock, some books, but that was it. No Vicodin.

_Shit_, he thought. He knew where it was. In the pocket of his jeans, which were somewhere on the floor.

Memories from the previous night presented themselves in a haze in his mind. Some things he could remember more clearly than others. One thing was for certain…he had sex with Cameron.

He strained his ears for a second trying to discern whether or not she was still passed out in bed beside him. He was tempted to reach over with his hand but hesitant as to what would happen if he ended up touching her naked body. Would they have a repeat of last night? Would they shy away from each other both knowing what had happened was completely stupid?

He figured his life was just filled with regrets anyway, so what would it hurt? Slowly opening his eyes, he reached his hand behind him and felt nothing but cold sheets. He let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding, relieved she wasn't there.

Lifting his head, he glanced around the room to find it empty. The bathroom door was open, and he could hear no other sounds from the rest of the apartment. _Did she leave?_

Leaning on his arm he pushed himself up to a seated position, grabbing his sore leg and swinging it around until his feet lay flat on the floor. He immediately spotted his jeans and stood to retrieve them, digging the Vicodin out of his pocket and ingesting two as quickly as possible.

Limping into the bathroom, he lifted the toilet seat and relieved himself. The bottle of ibruprofen on the sink alerted him to Cameron's obvious hangover, although with her small stature and amount of whiskey he recalled her consuming last night, he knew she was probably feeling it worse than he was. That coupled with the pain she was already feeling from her cheating asshole of a boyfriend.

House turned on the shower and stepped inside, holding his head under the steaming hot water for what seemed like an eternity. He couldn't believe she just left without a word. It was probably a mistake to let things go as far as they did, but he had to admit he felt a little bit better about what's been weighing heavily on his mind. Like he was able to release some tension that had been building in places only a good fuck could alleviate. He was grateful Cameron was there, ready and willing to assist him, and glad he could return the favor as she had her own aggressions to ease.

Once he was dressed and the pain in his leg dulled, he called a cab, for his motorcycle was still at the hospital after taking Cameron's car back to his place last night. He headed outside with a slight spring in his step. Good sex could do that, no matter how much of a mistake it was.

The doors to Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital slid open. He thought of stopping in the ER to see if Cameron was there, but decided against it. He was probably the last guy she wanted to see right now, well next in line to Chase of course.

The elevator doors opened and as if on cue, Chase stepped in beside him.

House eyed him for a second, wondering where he had come from. He was in his scrubs looking flushed and frantic.

"We need to stop meeting like this," House said.

Chase ignored him.

"Rough morning?" House said, soaking in his behavior. Chase was wringing his hands.

"What's it to you," Chase grumbled.

"You look like you lost your girlfriend," House stated matter-of-factly.

Chase turned and glared at him. "And what do you know about it, House?"

House shrugged. "I'm no expert in the affairs of the heart, but I'm pretty sure it's considered bad form to fuck some brainless twit when you're supposedly in a quote/unquote serious relationship."

Chase balled his hands into fists, ready to knock House into another reality. His face was so red House was sure his head would explode. But Chase held back as the elevator slowed to a halt. The doors opened and Chase stormed out and down the hallway. House remained on the elevator as the doors closed and moved on to his floor. He had hoped Chase wasn't about to go perform a surgery in his current state of mind; he'd probably remove someone's liver instead of their appendix…then again, that might be rather amusing.

House chuckled to himself as he made his way off the elevator, limping towards his office. As he rounded the corner, he spotted a familiar sight…Cameron sitting in his desk chair looking apprehensive. He smiled inwardly, recalling the many times he'd walked into his office to find her sitting there while she still worked for him.

"Wow you look like you've been hit by a freight train," he exclaimed, entering his office and dropping his bag on the sofa.

She looked timid, frightened…ashamed. His gut clenched. _Here we go_, he thought.

"House," she said quietly, looking into the adjoining room to make sure it was still empty.

"Listen," he interrupted her, dropping his gaze to the floor, digging his hands into his pockets. "We were drunk, it was stupid…I know. You don't have to beat yourself up about it."

She stood and approached him.

"That…that wasn't me, House. I'm…I'm not like that…not like _him_," she stressed, and he knew she meant Chase. "I never meant for that to happen…I don't know what I was thinking to let it…get that far. I just shut down…didn't think. Yes, it was stupid, and yes, I do feel like shit this morning. Physically, mentally, emotionally…" her voice trailed off and a pregnant pause hung between them. Finally Cameron reached out her hand and ran it down his arm, like she had done when she resigned all those months before. "But," she continued, "I want to thank you." She was almost whispering.

He looked at her quizzically, taken aback by her last statement. "Thank me? I thought you were about to crucify me."

"I had an itch," she smiled sheepishly, keeping her eyes from his, reiterating his words from the night before. At least she was able to remember that.

"And it's been scratched," he replied in agreement with her, nodding. He wanted her to know in his own way that she had helped him, too.

Her slight smile faded and she looked up at him. Her eyes were filled with sorrow, but no regret. He knew she was still hurting, she was Cameron, after all. But they understood each other now. Maybe for the first time since they met.

She squeezed his arm before letting it go and heading for the door. He turned and watched her.

"Hey," he called after all. She stopped but did not turn to face him. "You know where I am…in case you need me," he said.

She remained still for a moment until her feet finally moved and continued down the hall.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

The day went on with little or no consequence. Cuddy had thankfully been tied up in the board meeting all day, so House didn't even have to go out of his way to avoid her. He knew he'd have to face her eventually…she was, after all, his boss. And his final words to her were not the most professional, nor pleasant.

But he didn't care in the least.

Since they were still without a case, his team and Foreman were doing rounds in the pediatric unit. House had been tempted to ask Foreman if Chase had said anything about Cameron, but he mentally cursed himself for turning into a high school gossip queen and kept his mouth shut.

At one point House had considered making a visit to the ER to see how Cameron was holding up – hung over, emotionally drained and royally confused – he was certain she was as professional and precise as ever. The thought of her brought a faint smile to his face and he felt something inside of him stir.

Taking a deep breath, he relaxed further into his chair and closed his eyes, grateful he managed to get through the day unseen and unscathed.

"What's up?"

House opened his eyes in confusion to find Wilson standing inside his door.

"Oh," House said, "I forgot about you." He took his feet off his desk and sat up, popping the cap on his Vicodin bottle and tossing two pills into his mouth.

"You feeling ok? Because you managed to almost get through the day without bugging me once. I have a patient in 20 minutes just in case you want to barge in and say something hurtful to her."

House shrugged. "Tempting, but I'll pass."

Wilson narrowed his eyes at House and crossed his arms in front of his chest. House rolled his eyes as Wilson took his 'I'm going to read you and try to figure you out' stance.

"Easy there, we can't afford to have our director of oncology going blind from staring too long at the sun," House mocked.

"Thinking highly of yourself…wait, how is that different from usual?"

"Well I've been told I'm hot and that I'm God, hence the sun analogy…"

"Seriously, what's going on with you?" Wilson asked.

"Well I'm thinking of auditioning for the local community theater production of Chicago, but I don't think they make fishnets in my size."

Wilson stared at him again. "Did you talk to Cuddy?"

House froze and gazed at the floor.

"You did," Wilson said, moving closer and sitting in the chair across from his desk. "And? What did you say? What did _she_ say?"

House gave Wilson a look of disgust. "I didn't realize I'd have to face the inquisition. Geeze, what the hell's your problem?"

Wilson put his hands up, surrendering. "Sorry, didn't realize it was a touchy subject. I, uh, guess she shot you down."

House regarded him a moment. "She told you, didn't she?" The realization that Cuddy had run to Wilson hit him like a ton of bricks.

"What?" Wilson scoffed.

"She told you I asked her to dinner and that she turned me down and I…"

"Graced her with your reputable kindness, yes…" Wilson said, almost whispering. "That was pretty messed up, House…even for you."

"It was an instinct, a defensive tactic," House replied, standing and limping towards his window where he stared blankly out at the horizon. He wanted to be out of there, away from this. He didn't feel like hearing this again.

"Still…you should apologize."

House turned and glared at Wilson. "Since when do I apologize to Cuddy? None of this would have happened if I hadn't decided to actually listen to you."

"Right, blame me. You're right, it's my fault. I should have never encouraged you to take a risk, to take a step toward potential happiness."

"Damn right, it's your fault. For some fucked up reason I haven't been able to stop thinking about that she-beast for weeks. It's literally been driving me insane; obviously, since I decided to take the advice of Dr. Lovesick over here. Instead I get it thrown in my face. And then all I can hear is her laughing at me, telling me 'thanks, but no thanks' until all I can do is drown out her voice with the largest bottle of whisky I can find."

"House?" Both men turned to find Cuddy standing in the doorway. Her eyes were wide and her mouth slightly open. She stood perfectly still. House wondered how he hadn't noticed her before.

He laughed and dropped his head, leaning his weight on his cane.

"I'll, uh…I have a patient," Wilson stammered as he stood. He gave House one final look then brushed past Cuddy, giving her a quick nod.

"House," Cuddy repeated. He held up his hand.

"Forget it, ok? Yes, I know what I said was…"

"Hurtful and vindictive," she said, finishing his sentence for him. "Yes, it was. But, I shouldn't have expected anything less from you."

House was silent, not sure what to say.

"I had no idea you had feelings for me. I just…I don't know what to say," she said, throwing her hands up and letting them fall to her sides. After a moment, she hesitantly walked further into the room until she was standing directly in front of him. He gripped his cane tighter.

"You don't have to say anything. You made your point. So we forget it, and we move on," House said quietly. She placed her hand on his arm and urged him to look at her.

"House, against all judgment I value your friendship more than any other person in this hospital. I trust your instincts, even the unconventional ones. But unfortunately that's as far as my feelings for you go. I don't want this to ruin anything we have." Cuddy squeezed his arm.

He could feel his blood boiling; his skin under her grasp was burning. He stared intently into her blue eyes and found himself falling. Once again the empty feeling returned to his chest as her words echoed in his ears.

"Don't worry, forget any of this happened. We'll be back to our colorful banter in no time. I still get to make jokes about your breasts, right?" House said, putting on his best poker face.

She smiled and rolled her eyes before stepping away. "It wouldn't be a normal day around here unless you did," she said. "Are you sure we're…we're ok?"

He nodded and smiled. "Right as rain."

She took a few steps backward before turning and leaving. House let out a deep breath and watched her go. He couldn't help but feel she had taken a piece of him with her.

Packing up his back quickly, he headed for home. He needed to feel whole again.

Cameron glanced at the clock, grateful to see the end of her shift a few minutes away. It had been a harrowing day to say the least. She had finally been feeling the effects of her hangover dwindle away by lunch, but her heart was still in searing pain, not to mention the confusion she'd felt over what had happened with House. She walked in a daze most of the day, but still managed to tend to her patients with no complications. Luckily the ER had been slow that day.

"Can we talk?" His voice hit her like a freight train, breaking her out of any reverie. She slowly placed her chart down and turned, unable to look him in the eye.

"What do you want, Chase?" she asked.

"We need to talk about this, Allison. I'm not…I don't want to lose you over one stupid mistake," he said, his voice low as he tried to lead her to an unpopulated area of the ER.

She stopped in her tracks and pulled away from him, finally looking him in the eye. "One stupid mistake? You think after you fuck some twit I'll just shrug and say 'oh, it's ok sweetie, you just made a mistake. It happens' and we'll be on our merry way?" She felt absolutely disgusted.

"Allison, please" he pleaded, grabbing her elbow. His touch ignited something in her – anger, desire, displeasure, heat, regret – she had to get away from him, and fast.

"I can't do this now," she said, taking several steps back. He watched her retreat from him and stayed glued to the floor.

She hurried into the locker room, her whole body shaking as she tried to hold back her tears. She needed to get out of there, not caring that she still had ten minutes until her shift ended. She needed to run away, to hide out somewhere, to feel something…else.

Slamming her locker door shut, she took a quick breath and realized exactly what she needed.

House wasn't in his door thirty seconds before he picked up the phone and started to dial her number. After the first three digits he hung up.

_Idiot_, he thought. _She's probably still at the hospital._ He had no idea why he tried her home number.

Switching the phone on again he began to dial her pager number. A knock at the door startled him, and he hung up the phone. At first he thought it might be Wilson coming to check up on him and find out what happened with Cuddy. But as he drew closer to the door, he heard the knock become more frantic, and he felt his heart nearly stop in anticipation of who was on the other side. He knew exactly who it was.

Swinging the door open, he stared at her. She looked frail and tired, but there was something else about her. Her skin seemed to glow and her body was shaking. She could barely speak.

"I need you," she whispered.

"You have no idea," he replied before grabbing her hand and pulling her inside.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Within a heartbeat of the door closing House had her slammed up against it, his mouth hungrily devouring her own. Cameron could barely form a coherent thought as her body came alive under his touch. She did not recall her jacket sliding off her arms to the floor, nor how she managed to toe off her sneakers so quickly. The only thing she knew was that she needed this, needed _him,_ to take away the emptiness, to fill her, to make her feel whole again, to forget.

Suddenly House pulled away and pressed his forehead to hers, bracing his arms against the door on either side of her. He was breathing heavily, his eyes closed. She leaned into him, trying to capture his lips once again, but he stepped back. Opening his eyes, he locked his gaze with her own. She was confused why he had stopped so abruptly, but soon the realization hit her as she read the reality of the situation in his eyes.

This time, they were completely sober. No alcohol hindering their self-control. No drunken mistakes to use as an excuse.

"House," she whispered, gently nodding her head. Reaching out her hand, she caressed his cheek then let her hand drop to the collar of his shirt. She balled the fabric up in her fist and pleaded with her eyes. "I need you…please."

He closed his eyes again and savored her words, grateful she realized what he had feared, that they were really doing this, and they knew what they were doing. There would be no repercussions, no blame, no guilt. They needed the one thing they each could give the other.

Cameron's fingers splayed on his chest before quickly unfastening the buttons and pulling the shirt down over his arms. She lifted his t-shirt over his head and he assisted her by raising his arms up before bringing his large hands to her slight shoulders. She took the hem of her shirt and lifted it over her head, then reached behind her to unclasp her bra.

House sucked in his breath at the sight before him. The night before had been so rushed, so hazy that he did not have a chance to really look at her. She was beautiful, he had to admit. Not that he thought she would look otherwise.

Cameron could feel the heat rising between her legs, her insides tightening as she watched his eyes move over her. Slowly she slid her pants down her legs and stepped out of them, followed by her lace panties. She now stood before him completely naked and House thought he might have a heart attack.

His eyes continued to roam over her, and he could feel the sweat form on his brow. He returned his eyes to her, and she thought she would explode from the intensity he showed her in those electric blue eyes. He needed this as much as she did.

Cameron wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him feverishly. House's tongue demanded entrance into her mouth, and she obliged. As their tongues danced, she sucked on his bottom lip, eliciting a moan from him. His hands moved everywhere on her body, entangling in her hair, down her smooth back, cupping her bare ass as he lifted her right leg up and around his hip.

She made quick work of the snap and zipper on his jeans, pushing them down over his hips while he kicked them off the rest of the way. She could feel he was ready for her, his hardened arousal pressing against her abdomen through the fabric of his boxers. She rolled her hips against him, and he moaned again, still reveling in the taste of her mouth.

Pulling back, she gripped his boxers and pulled them down slowly, resting on her knees as she looked up at him with a devilish innocence. He took a few steps back, needing to find something to lean his weight on. He backed into the wall by the kitchen and braced himself for what he hoped was coming. Holding his breath, he watched mesmerized as she crawled towards him on her hands and knees, never breaking their lustful gaze, until she reached him and sitting back on her heels, turned her attention to his hardened cock that was throbbing so painfully now that House didn't know if he would last.

Ever so slowly she glided her tongue from the base of his shaft to the tip. House closed his eyes and dropped his head back against the wall. He absentmindedly placed his hand on the top of her head, encouraging her on. She lingered on the tip of his erection, tracing her tongue in circles.

"Fuck," House hissed.

Placing her hands on his hips, she wrapped her lips around the head and sucked hard. House grabbed her hair in response, moaning loudly. He began to see stars behind his eyelids as he felt himself slip inside the moist warmth of her mouth, tasting and sucking him. She moaned and it nearly undid him as the vibrations rocked through his entire body.

He bit his bottom lip and finally opened his eyes, looking down at the magnificent sight before him. Allison Cameron, giving him the most mind-blowing blowjob of his life.

He couldn't help but cry out as the sight of her mixed with the sensations her mouth was bringing him nearly brought him to the edge. While he wasn't ready for this to end just yet, he knew he wouldn't last much longer.

Suddenly he gripped her shoulders and pulled her off of him and up to her feet. His lips found hers. Before she could register what was happening, he was walking them around the corner. Gripping her hips he lifted her up on to the kitchen table. His lips trailed down her chin to her neck, taking his time to nibble and suck her skin. Her hands ghosted down his back as he leaned over her, working magic with his lips and tongue. She couldn't help but think how utterly glorious this all felt, despite the fact there was no emotion involved…_right?_

Cameron screamed at her mind to shut up and let her body regain control, which was easy to do once House had moved lower. He kissed and massaged her breasts, taking one hardened nipple in his teeth before sucking hard. She hitched her breath and arched her back. While he continued caressing her breast with his tongue, his hand slid down her abdomen to the heat beckoning him between her thighs.

Cameron could feel her thighs begin to shake as his touch grew nearer to where she needed him the most. And as he slid two fingers inside her, she couldn't help but scream as her pent up emotions raged to the surface. He hooked his fingers and found that most sensitive spot, and Cameron bucked her hips in response.

"Please, House…please…I need you," she whispered breathlessly, her head shaking from side to side. Her whole body vibrated with desire and need, and she began to feel overwhelmed. It was all too much.

He placed his hands on her thighs and opened her legs wider, positioning himself at her entrance. She put her hands on her head, feeling that she might split in two if he didn't take her right then and there.

He thrust inside her once, and they both cried out. Cameron raised up on her elbows as she met those blue eyes once again, and watched him move in and out of her. Their need was too great to start this slowly. He looked down at their bodies meeting, and he found himself thinking how much he was beginning to like being in this place, _inside her_.

House screwed his eyes shut, quieting his mind as his body resumed control. He met her eyes again as she wrapped her legs around his waist, encouraging him deeper, harder, faster. Finally she sat up and braced her arms on the table so she could shift her weight on them, enabling her slightly lift her bottom from the table in order to take him as deep as possible.

"Fuck, Cameron…you feel so…so…" he babbled incoherently.

"Shhh," she cooed, and she rolled her hips to meet his thrusts. His grip on her hips tightened, and she was sure there would be bruises to show for it, but at that moment she didn't care.

House leaned forward and put his head on her shoulder as he pounded into her with as much force as he could muster. He could feel his release building. When Cameron rocked her hips against his one final time, he felt her walls clench around him and he came with her, letting out a whimper of pleasure and satisfaction.

"Oh my god," was all she could say, lowering her bottom back to the table top and wrapping her arms around him. They stayed that way, he still buried inside her, her legs still wrapped tightly around his waist, arms wrapped tightly around each other, until House's leg began to scream at him in protest and he pulled himself away from her.

Luckily the prescription bottle was on the nearby counter, and he reached for it immediately.

Cameron remained on the table, steadying her breathing as she ran a hand across her forehead, wiping away the sheen of sweat that had formed there.

House turned and leaned against the counter.

"Bad day?" he asked her.

She lightly chuckled as she delicately hopped off the table, keeping her grasp on the piece of furniture as her legs were still unsteady.

"You could say that," she replied. "Chase thinks he just made a stupid mistake and that we shouldn't end what we have over it."

House looked down at the floor.

"What you have?"

She thought a moment. "Or what we had, rather."

"And you think…"

"He's still a creep and makes my skin crawl," she said, staring at nothing.

"But…" he said, eyeing her.

"But…it still hurts." She lowered her gaze. "However, now…it doesn't feel so bad. Thanks." She seemed to blush, which amused House after what they had just done.

"Don't mention it."

"How about you? Run in with the boss?" she asked, finally looking at him.

He shrugged. "I thought there was something there, but I guess not."

Cameron narrowed her eyes at him. "You mean, not for her. But for you, there still is."

It was his turn to look away. "Maybe there was…but now, I'm not so sure."

She didn't quite know how to take that. _Because of her and their little "meetings?"_

"So…" she said hesitantly.

"So I'll live, I'll get over it. Wouldn't be the first time; probably not the last."

She smiled gently. "But it still hurts."

He stared at her then looked away again. "But right now, not so much…thanks."

She could've sworn she saw him blush. "Don't mention it."

After an awkward pause, Cameron broke the silence. "Well, I'm gonna go."

He looked at her confused, then questioned himself. Did he really expect her to stay the night again? She only had the previous night because they had both passed out from drinking. Tonight they were just…them.

"Oh, ok…" he said, walking into the living room to find his pants. Their nakedness seemed to be inappropriate now.

"Unless you…did you want to…" she said, bending down to pick up her own clothes.

He turned to her, zipping up his pants but leaving the top button undone. "What, go another round?"

She pulled up her pants and slid on her bra. "I mean…if you still need to…"

He smiled and bent down for his t-shirt. "No, I think…I think it worked itself out."

She pulled on her shirt and smiled. "Yeah, me too."

They stared at each other a moment before nonchalantly moving away. Cameron headed towards the door, slipping on her shoes and hastily putting on her jacket. House headed in the opposite direction, standing in the doorway to his hallway. He rubbed the back of his neck, thinking of something to say without making a complete ass of himself.

"So…see you tomorrow at work then," he said, mentally kicking himself. _Oh that was slick, way to go stud._

She gave him a friendly smile. "Yeah, see you around." Opening the door she turned back around. "Good night, House." Then she closed the door behind her and headed out to her car.

House limped over to the window and watched as she slid into the passenger seat. She sat there a while, staring blankly out the windshield before starting up the car. He strained his eyes to see her facial expressions, and for a moment he could have sworn he saw her smiling. But it could have been his imagination.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

House found himself feeling differently the next morning. For the first night in weeks he hadn't dreamt of Cuddy. He was elated. But what did this mean? Was he finally coming to his senses? Or was it…was it her…

He couldn't help but think of Cameron, the way her body looked trapped beneath his, the way her eyes fluttered when he pushed himself inside her, the sounds she made when she was close to the edge, knowing it was him bringing her there…

House sat up quickly in his bed.

"Oh, crap," he muttered to himself. He went from obsessing over one forbidden woman to another. _Fucking fantastic,_ he thought to himself before throwing the covers off of him and heading for yet another cold shower.

The power of the motorcycle beneath him as he headed in to the hospital helped take some of the edge off of his painful thoughts. So what, did he have feelings for Cameron now? One second he's hot for Cuddy, and now he's lusting after the ingénue ER doctor?

He decided to test himself. He pictured the most pornographic images of Cuddy he could muster, recalling some of the devious thoughts that had plagued him over the past few weeks, and…nothing. There was nothing. His body did not react. If anything, it repulsed him. _Hallelujah!_, he screamed internally.

Parking his motorcycle in his handicapped space, he pulled of his helmet and smiled. He felt wonderful, ecstatic to be rid of her. He breathed deeply taking in the fresh, crisp air, letting it fill his lungs. He felt like a biggest weight had been lifted from him.

Despite what he may or may not have been feeling for Cameron, he had to at least thank her.

Entering the hospital, he decided to play it cool. He wouldn't immediately go to see her, although he felt his body pulling him in that direction.

_No,_ he said to himself. _It needs to be casual. There's nothing there between you two – it was just sex. Sure, you want to tell her she took all your troubles away, made the bad lady go away. Yeah, it's a mystery as to how and why she did it, but who cares. Ah…screw it!_

He turned his direction towards the emergency room. Heading down the hallway, he could hear the hustle and bustle that was usually associated with this wing. People scrambling about, yelling, doors bursting open, curtains sliding back and forth. He hated the ER.

Turning a corner, he saw Cameron standing at the nurses' station. He stopped, watching her place a file on the desk. The nurse was grinning at her and talking, but he couldn't hear what was being said. There was too much noise around him.

Then the nurse bent down and placed a bouquet of flowers on top of the desk, pushing them toward Cameron. He watched her mouth gape open, admiring the beauty of the flowers. The nurse watched her expectantly as Cameron slid the attached card out of its envelope. He stared at her face as she read the words. Knowing full well he hadn't sent her any flowers, he could only assume they were another apology attempt from Chase. He waited in anticipation for her to spit on them and tear the card into tiny pieces.

Cameron's eyes scanned the card slowly and she sighed deeply. Then he saw something he was not expecting. Her lips turned up into a small smile.

He fought the urge to sit down as an imaginary someone socked him in the gut with a large mallet. She was touched by it, by Chase. _ Oh, this is not good_, he thought. _Not good at all._

His feet remained planted as he watched her take the flowers and walk away. Turning around, he headed back to the elevators and up to his office.

Plopping down in his chair with an exasperated grunt, he buried his face in his hands. Why did he feel like someone just ripped out his heart? _You don't have a heart, moron_, his head shouted at him.

The sound of the door to his office opening and Foreman and his team filtering in jolted him back to reality.

"What!" he spat at them.

They seemed unphased by his mood. "New case."

His hands fell to the desk. Of course, _now_ they get a case when he's dealing with a worse inner turmoil than before.

The team proceeded to run down the patient's history, symptoms, possible theories. All the while House listened, but his head was somewhere else. _How could she like those flowers? What had Chase written in that card that would make her smile? She hates him…she said he made her skin crawl and he was a creep. _

House suddenly stood up and the group stopped talking.

"Are you…all right?" Taub asked hesitantly.

"No." Grabbing hold of his cane, he headed for the door.

"What do you want us to do?" 13 asked, annoyed.

"MRI, blood gas, spinal tap…the works. You're doctors, wing it," he shouted back at them without turning around, and headed down the hallway.

Opening Wilson's door, he had to stop as he saw Wilson literally jump in his chair.

"House, what's up," Wilson said, composing himself and looking back down at his notes.

House finally closed the door behind him and sat in the chair across from Wilson's desk, watching him intently. There was something going on with Wilson, he seemed more jittery than usual.

"I have a patient in 10 minutes so make it quick," Wilson said, not lifting his eyes.

"I think I'm over Cuddy," House stated in a monotone, waiting to gauge his reaction. Wilson looked up at him.

"Really?" He sounded anxious, almost overjoyed at that comment.

House raised his eyebrows. "Yep."

Wilson shrugged. "Well, that's…um…that's good, I guess…right?"

House nodded. "Aren't you going to ask me why?"

Wilson returned to his notes, scribbling away with his pen. "Don't really care, but I'm sure you're going to tell me anyway."

"I fucked Cameron."

Wilson's pen froze and he hastily returned his gaze to House. House watched him intently, waiting for his response.

"You…what?" Wilson couldn't help but sit there slack-jawed and dumbfounded. That was the last thing he had expected to come out of House's mouth, and House usually had some doozies.

"I'm thinking of recommending it to the psych department as a new type of therapy for lovelorn, sex fiends experiencing unrequited love. Maybe I'll publish an article. Do you think they'll name it after me?"

"How did this happen? I mean…when…I thought…" Wilson had trouble finding the words to say. House grinned mischievously.

"The first time we got really drunk and it just…"

"Wait, the first time? You mean, it's happened more than once," Wilson blurted out.

"Twice actually," House replied so simply you would have thought he had just said the grass was green.

"Well…congratulations. I mean, I can't say I didn't see this coming. You and Cameron have been dancing around each other for the past three years. I must admit the timing and everything has thrown me for a loop…I mean, just the other day you were crying about having feelings for Cuddy. But I'm glad you were able to get over that."

House listened and read his best friend, knowing he could figure Wilson out better than Wilson could. "You're glad, huh?"

He watched Wilson begin to fidget in his seat, twirling the pen nervously in his fingers. A light perspiration formed on his forehead and his cheeks flushed, meaning his heart rate was increasing. Wilson met House's eyes momentarily before they flickered around the room and back down to his notes.

"Yeah."

House paused a moment. "You slept with Cuddy."

Wilson damn near fell out of his chair as his pen rolled to the floor. "What!"

And that was all the answer House needed. He knew he was right. "You did, look at you, you're a nervous wreck sitting across from me, like I'm going to beat you up for sleeping with my girlfriend."

Wilson laughed nervously. "I don't know what…" he watched House reading him. "Oh, shit…fine. Yes. I did."

House raised his eyebrows. He was shocked, even though he had already figured it out. Hearing Wilson actually admit it was another thing.

"Wow," House said, and it was his turn to be dumbfounded. "You slept with Cuddy knowing I had a thing for her? That is so uncool."

"House," Wilson sighed exasperated. "It was a complete fluke…I mean, we went for a drink after work last night because she seemed like she needed to talk about things…"

"You mean me," House interrupted.

"Yes, you…and one drink turned into two then three, and you can fill in the blanks after that," Wilson muttered. He looked up at House. "Oh, don't look at me like that. You told Cuddy that you were over it and you were ok with just being friends again, going back to the way things were before."

"Were you fucking her before?" House asked.

"No," Wilson replied quickly with a hint of anger. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "No," he said again, more calm.

"So," House said, looking at his cane, "will there be a repeat performance?"

Wilson paused, confused by his reaction. "I don't…I don't think so. Wait, so you're not mad at me?"

"Mad? Why would I be mad? I just told you I was over Cuddy, and when I was infatuated with her for whatever insane reason that was, I still felt sick to my stomach and wanted to gauge my eyes out whenever she came into view. While I was having dirty thoughts about my boss, I still hated her. So please, take her. Maybe a ride on Wilson's love machine will do her some good."

Wilson couldn't believe his ears. House seemed like a totally different person. But while they were airing out the dirty laundry here, House never came into his office unless he had something he needed to get off his chest, or to demand Wilson buy him food, and something told Wilson there was more going on here. This wasn't really about Cuddy…it was about Cameron.

"Wait," Wilson said, furrowing his brow. "You slept with Cameron…what happened to Chase?"

House sighed and stared down at the floor. "Remember that night we saw them at the bar?"

Wilson nodded.

"Apparently Cameron went home alone that night while Chase got cozy with that little flake who was hanging all over him in front of his girlfriend's eyes."

Wilson's shock returned. "Chase cheated on Cameron? What an asshole."

"Well there's one thing we can agree on."

Wilson threw up his hands. "So you two got drunk together, drinking away your romance woes and wallowing in misery together, and ended up having sex."

"From what I can remember, yeah," House replied.

"And the second time?" Wilson pried.

"I had just had my little talk with Cuddy and Chase begged her to take him back…she came over to my place instead," House said, looking out the window. "Evidently our little Cameron isn't as innocent as we all thought she was," he said, wagging his eyebrows.

"Please, spare me the details," Wilson said. "So what's bothering you, now you feel something for Cameron?"

House thought a moment. "Chase sent her flowers today, and she smiled when she read the card."

Wilson regarded his best friend closely. "And that bothers you," he stated. House didn't reply. "You want this to be more than just a two-night stand."

House glared at him like he had just told him he had bad taste in music. "What the hell do you know, you screwed Cuddy. Obviously you have neurological problems that should be checked out. Should I schedule you an MRI?"

"Don't deflect, House. Admit it, you're in love with her."

"Whoa, I wouldn't go that far. It's just…sex. And now it's over."

"But it's more than that if you're jealous that she might still love her ex-boyfriend."

_You're done for now, kid_, his mind said, admitting that House was now in deeper than he thought he was before.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

After swearing Wilson to secrecy, which involved threatening a part of his male anatomy, House returned to his office. His team was still out running tests on their latest patient, so he used the solitude to think.

His chat with Wilson solidified his fears that he was, indeed, falling for Cameron. And the very fact that he felt nothing when he discovered Wilson had slept with Cuddy was fantastic. He was so over Cuddy, only to be plagued by another woman he tried so hard to run from.

But she was evidently not over Chase. This wasn't going to be easy.

They still had their little arrangement, which Cameron seemed to be open to since she was the one who came to him last night. Grinning devilishly, House knew he could use that to his advantage. He just had to play along; let her think he was still in turmoil over Cuddy. And then maybe, just maybe, he could get Cameron to forget all about the cheating Aussie scumbag. After all, Cameron had been infatuated with House for years before giving up on him. Those feelings still had to be buried in there somewhere.

The day continued and House worked with his team to diagnose their patient. After a run of failed treatments and incorrect diagnoses, their patient was now stable and Kutner and 13 agreed to monitor him through the night. House was watching the clock towards the end of the day, eager to get to the ER at the end of her shift.

"Well, kids, daddy's going to go. Big plans tonight involving a very hot blonde, so only page me if the guy is dying, and I mean the very verge of death, ok?" The team nodded their heads not even looking at him. Foreman chuckled and shook his head, taking joy in the fact that House couldn't say much to phase them any more.

"And Kutner, don't waste your time hitting on 13 during your little sleepover tonight…she's bisexual and I'm still not sure you fit in either category," House concluded, turning his back to a mortified 13 and a stunned Kutner and walking out of the room. Foreman let out a full bodied laugh. He still had it.

The elevators opened and House adjusted his knapsack over his shoulder before limping out towards the ER. Cameron was nowhere to be found, so he headed for the locker room, hoping he hadn't missed her.

Cameron was sitting on a bench with her back to the door. Her locker was open, and her bag sat on the floor opened. He could see the flowers peeking out from the floor of her locker, and she twirled the card in her finger. Glancing around, House was glad to see the room empty except for them.

_It's game time_, he said to himself before moving further into the room. He stopped next to her, his cane already alerting her to his presence. He looked down at her and noticed her cheeks were stained with tears.

"Hey," he said softly, averting his eyes. He hated to see her cry, and wanted to bash Chase in the head with his cane for putting her through this. "Nice flowers."

"Yeah," she whispered, not lifting her head.

"Let me guess…Chase trying to win you back with the stereotypical bouquet of roses?"

Cameron shrugged but said nothing.

"They'll be dead in three days," House said, snorting.

"What do you want, House?" she asked, sounding defeated.

He took a deep breath and sat across from her on the bench, letting his bag slide to the floor. He stared at the top of his cane and pretended to look hurt.

"I just found out Cuddy slept with Wilson last night," he said softly, feigning anger and pain in his voice.

Cameron gasped and lifted her head to look at him. "Oh my god," she said. "When did…how did that happen?"

He shrugged, not meeting her eyes. He wanted her to see that he was hurting, or pretending to hurt at least. _Game on_, he thought.

"Who told you?" she asked.

"Wilson."

"Wilson came out and told you? Does he know how you feel about her?" Cameron was shocked.

"He does now," House said, raising his head and staring up at the ceiling. He sighed heavily and slumped his shoulders.

"What are you going to do?" she asked, placing her hand on his shoulder.

_Score,_ his mind cheered.

He shrugged again. "Nothing to do, I guess. Yeah, I'll admit I feel like shit, but I can't tell people how to live their lives. She doesn't reciprocate my feelings, maybe because she has a thing for Wilson. I don't know."

They were silent for a moment.

"What about you? What are you going to do?" he said, looking at her and motioning towards the card.

She dropped her hand and gripped the card tightly, scanning it with her eyes once more. Then she lifted her eyes and locked with his. House gently brushed a finger against her smooth cheek, wiping away her tears, and she watched him in awe.

Taking the card between her fingers she ripped it up into pieces.

House smirked. "Looks like we're both in a pickle at the moment," he said.

She smirked back. "You hate pickles."

"Well then I guess I'm screwed," he said, sighing.

"House," she said, the tone of her voice changing.

He looked at her. "Yeah?"

"I need you," she stated simply.

He stared at her a moment, his heart pounding into his chest. "I need you, too."

Cameron stood and knelt before him, their eyes never faltering from the other's. Raising her hands she traced his jaw line with her fingertips. Her tongue slid out and moistened her lips. House's breath caught at the sight.

Leaning in she placed her lips against his, and they both closed their eyes. Their lips slowly and gently molded against each other until they opened their mouths and let their tongues meet hungrily. The kiss deepened as Cameron's hands remained firmly planted on his rough cheeks. House let his hands slide down to her waist and he pulled her closer to his body. She moaned softly into his mouth, and he felt his insides tighten. It was the most intimate thing he had ever felt, and it was only a kiss.

They broke apart, breathing heavily. She looked at him so intently that he felt she was attempting to look into his very soul. And he wanted her to see everything.

Cameron stood and took him by the hand, leading him around the row of lockers to a dark corner of the room far from the door. He looked at her perplexed, but the excitement began to build within him.

"What, here?" he found himself asking in amazement. She turned around and leaned against the wall, the two of them cast in shadows.

"I said I needed you, and I meant now," she said, grabbing his shoulders and pulling him against her and back into a passionate kiss.

After a minute he pulled away and rested his forehead against hers, meeting her eyes. Her eyes had grown dark, her lids heavy. It was a look of pure lust, and it turned him on so much he fought back the urge to rip off her scrubs. "What if someone comes in?"

"We'll be quiet…no one comes back here," she said, lifting his hand and sliding her mouth over his pointer finger. He struggled to breathe again as he watched her lips close around the digit, feeling her tongue flick the tip of it. And all the while she stared at him with those eyes.

_You're in the end zone, don't blow it_, his mind shouted, and he concurred.

He found her lips again, this time his kiss was forceful, desperate, filled with such desire and need. He felt like letting go, losing control, not giving a damn where they were. Sure this was all still new to them, but for someone to walk in and find Dr. House and Dr. Cameron doing dirty things to each other in the far corner of the locker room might be bad for business. Then again House never was the professional type.

_Still, just to be sure…_House broke away. "One second," he said, before hurrying to the other side of the room and locking the door that led out the ER, and then over to the other side of the room and the door that leading to the hallway.

"House, you can't lock the doors, someone will get suspicious," Cameron said, holding back a laugh.

"Oh, and walking in on two of this hospital's greatest doctors moaning and groaning naked in the corner isn't suspicious? Honestly, Cameron, I'm all for being adventurous, but I do have limits. Voyeurism's not my thing," House said, shedding his jacket and finding her lips again.

She gripped his hair and pulled him away, staring into his eyes and smiling. "You think I'm a great doctor?"

He rolled his eyes but couldn't fight back the smile. "I think you're great at a lot of things," he said, wagging his eyebrows.

She chuckled and they quickly shed their clothes. House nipped at her jaw before trailing hot kisses down the silky skin of her neck. His hands molded her breasts, and she cried out with pleasure. Her hand slid down his abdomen and grabbed his erection, and House moaned in compliance. He rocked his hips as she slid her hand up and down his shaft.

House slid his hands to her hips and grabbed tight as he fought to control himself. If she kept stroking him like that, this wouldn't last long. He moved his hand lower and lifted her thigh around his waist, sliding his fingers up the smooth flesh of her leg until he reached his destination. He rubbed his finger against her, hearing her gasp, and then slid his fingers inside her slick folds, finding the sensitive nub and applying just the right amount of pressure to make her legs weak.

"House," she said breathless. Her hand tightened on his cock, and he cried out. His fingers hooked inside her and traced deep circles against her clit, and she bucked against him. Her free hand grabbed his arm and dug her nails in deep.

He lowered his head to her shoulder and she turned her head to nibble on his earlobe. He felt his release building as she continued to stroke him, but it still wasn't enough. He wanted to be inside her, buried deep in her warmth, to never leave.

_To never leave her. You want her, need her…forever. Tell her, tell her how you feel. Tell her you're falling in love with her._

House squeezed his eyes shut and cried out, drowning out the voice in his head. He wanted to tell her everything, but he wasn't ready.

"I need you Greg," she moaned in his ear, and that was the final straw. He pulled away from her, grabbed her hips and spun her around. She bent slightly at the waist and splayed her hands against the cold tile of the wall.

House's grip remained locked on her hips as he pushed himself inside her.

_Touchdown…_he thought, but the sports metaphors quickly fell away as he became lost inside her. _I'm home…this is home_.

"Allison," he exhaled, and she moaned in response. She pushed back against him as he drove in and out of her, holding tightly to her hips for support. Her blonde hair draped across her bare back as she arched for him, whimpering and moaning.

Suddenly there was a bang at the ER door and the sound of someone trying to turn the knob. "Hey, why is this door locked? Hello? Is anyone in there?"

House didn't stop and Cameron didn't ask him to. In the back of his mind he knew someone would have to go find maintenance to unlock the door, and that would take a few more minutes. At this rate, they'd be finished and dressed before that happened.

"Ah, Greg," she cried louder, trying to muffle her voice against her arm as to not alert the person on the other side of the door that the room was, indeed, occupied.

He leaned over her, planting kisses against her back before lifting up. He panted against her back unable to think coherently…all he could do was feel.

"I never knew…never knew it could be like this," he babbled. Cameron turned her head to try to look at him, but he recovered by slamming so hard inside of her he thought he'd broken something. She only smiled in ecstasy as she screamed.

And with that scream he felt her body stiffen, her internal walls quiver and he felt the pressure in his own body ready to explode. They came together until House could no longer stand and he pulled away from her. Cameron remained still against the wall before turning around and pushing the hair out of her face. House sat on the nearest bench and steadied his breathing.

Suddenly Cameron was bustling about, collecting their clothes off the floor and laying House's by him on the bench. She quickly slid her scrubs back on and went to him.

"Are you ok?" she asked, her obvious concern showing through as she looked at his leg.

"Never better," he replied, staring at her face, carving it into his memory for all time. He felt like shouting from the rooftops that this woman was his now, and he would be damn sure no one would take her from him.

_It's amazing how much can happen in one day…how fickle is the heart_. _No…this…this is the real thing._

"You may want to hurry up and get dressed, I'm sure the maintenance man will be here any minute," Cameron said, anxious.

House shrugged. "Go unlock the door," he said. She blinked at him. "It is a locker room…a room for us doctors to get naked in."

"To shower maybe, but not to, you know," she said, blushing.

"Hmmm, a shower, maybe next time, but now I'm spent," he said, sliding on his boxers.

She grinned at him. "Next time?"

He didn't realize the meaning behind his words. He implied there would be a next time…hell, if it were up to him they'd be doing this every night for the rest of his life, but to her, this was still just a random occurrence, only to happen when and if it was needed. Neither of them knew if, once it was done, it would ever happen again.

He didn't know how to respond and decided to just reply with another snarky remark when they were interrupted by the sound of the doorknob shaking again. Cameron gasped and ran to her locker while House quickly pulled on his jeans. He made it to the door before it could completely open, making sure Cameron was hidden from view.

"What!" he shouted as he peeked his head from around the door, still bare-chested. Three doctors and a janitor stood on the other side in shock.

"Dr. House? What are you doing in there?" one doctor asked.

"Relieving some stress, what's it to you?"

They looked at him quizzically.

He sighed and rolled his eyes. "Taking a shower."

"But…you have your own locker room upstairs. Why are you in the ER…and why is the door locked?" the other doctor asked, confused.

"You guys have better shampoo and cleaner towels, and it's closer to the exit. And why was the door locked? Well…you know…like I said, relieving some stress, needed some alone time," he said, winking. The doctors made a face of disgust.

"Can we please get our things so we can go home? Our shifts ended," the third doctor said annoyed, attempting to step through the partly opened door.

House closed the door farther. "Give me a minute," he said. The doctors gave him another look. House's eyes widened and he shrugged. "I don't want you to see my unmentionables."

Closing the door in their face, he locked it once more and turned to find himself standing in an empty locker room. Cameron's locker was shut and she and her bag gone. She must have snuck out the other door while he kept those morons busy.

Grinning wickedly he finished dressing and grabbed his knapsack. One his way back to the door his eye was drawn to something colorful poking out of the trashcan…a withering bouquet of flowers.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: **Sorry it's taken me so long to get to this chapter, but you know, life happens…anyhoo this is where the Hameron fun begins. A bit angst-filled, but then I wouldn't be me if I didn't throw in the angst. I still have a bit more left to this story, so enjoy!

**Chapter 13**

House spent the rest of the night alone, continuously checking his cell phone for messages or missed calls, or even if it was working ok. She never called. Had he expected her to? Why would she? That wasn't part of the new found arrangement, although he wished it was.

So why couldn't he call her? He lay in bed wide awake and glanced at the clock. It was nearly 2 a.m. and she was probably fast asleep. Perhaps he should leave her alone, to give her time…space. He didn't want to smother her or scare her away. It was all still so new, so young and fragile.

_What was?_ he thought. _To her it's just sex…scratching an itch. _He frowned knowing it was now so much more to him. The sight of Chase's flowers discarded in the locker room trashcan had given him hope. Perhaps she was finally coming to her senses after all.

He racked his brain trying to come up with his latest excuse to "need her." Something Cuddy would say to him? Seeing Cuddy and Wilson kissing in the car?

Sitting up in his bed he draped his legs over the side and rested his elbows on his knees. Rubbing his sleep deprived eyes, he sighed heavily. He felt bad, guilty for lying to her. _But it's the only way…_

It was obvious sleep wouldn't be coming easily, so he stood and limped into his living room, taking his seat in front of the piano. He let his fingers dance along the keys, playing a haunting melody that graciously quieted his mind. Closing his eyes he pictured Cameron a few blocks away, lying on her bed in a peaceful slumber, a hint of a smile on her face as she dreamed, the light from the moon illuminating her beautiful face, her arm instinctively stretched towards the other side of the bed, as if feeling for him in her sleep…

His cell phone beeped, alerting him to a new text message, and his eyes flew open. He hopped quickly to the coffee table and picked up his phone.

_Are you awake? I need you. Now._

House didn't need to be asked twice. He threw on jeans and a t-shirt, grabbed his coat and made a bee line for his motorcycle. Within 10 minutes of receiving her message, he pulled up to her apartment building. Glancing up he found her window, which was easy to do since it was the only one with a light on.

Heading quickly inside, he limped as fast as he could down her hallway. Half way to her door, it opened and he stopped.

Cameron leaned on the doorframe and stared at him. Her eyes were red and swollen. She had been crying. Her nose was red from being wiped numerous times. Her face seemed pale, and her cheeks were stained with tears. House immediately began to think that her "I need you" meant for an entirely different reason this time.

He continued down the hall and reached her, not knowing if he should kiss her or not. He decided on the latter and let her run the show.

"Can't sleep?" she asked, staring at him with those soulful eyes of hers.

He thought of telling her a made up excuse, like he couldn't stop thinking about Cuddy, or he was having dreams about her, or Wilson called him begging his forgiveness…but he couldn't bring himself to lie to her right now. It was obvious she wasn't in the greatest shape at the moment.

He nodded at her and she turned walking into her apartment, inviting him to follow. He stepped inside and closed the door behind him. She sat on her couch and stared blankly at a box on top of her coffee table.

Quietly he sat beside her, glancing curiously at the box.

"Chase's things," she said softly. "I threw them all in a box. I'm going to give them back to him tomorrow."

House nodded again, trying with all his might to contain his glee.

"So you're really ending it with him?" he asked as seriously as he could.

She nodded slightly, her eyes welling with tears. She finally broke down and buried her head in her hands, sobbing uncontrollably.

It pained him to see her like this. So defeated, so hurt. He placed his hand on her back but sat perfectly still, letting her know that he was there, because she had, after all, needed him. After a moment, she leaned against his chest, continuing her sobs until finally she lowered her hands.

"I just can't believe it," she said between sobs. "I just can't believe it happened this way. I mean, a month ago I thought I was madly in love with him. I thought everything was right in my life…perfect. I thought I had everything I wanted. And then…" her voice trailed off.

House felt her body tense up. She sat up and looked at him quickly before standing and walking to the fireplace. He watched her closely as she stared into the fire, wringing her hands.

"And then I realized…it wasn't," she said, almost whispering. "Not what I truly wanted."

House continued to watch her, study her, but he was afraid to move off the couch. He gripped his cane in his hand tightly in anticipation of what he had hoped would be her confession of her true feelings for him.

Cameron turned slowly, her hands quickly wiping the tears from her eyes. She looked at him and sucked in her bottom lip.

"I guess the only good that really came from being with Chase is that I did finally get what I wanted. You."

_There it is, she said it…she still wants you. _House wanted to leap from his seat, to take her in his arms, to profess his true feelings for her…but he remained silent and glued to his seat. He couldn't even blink.

Cameron sighed and shook her head, holding up her hands.

"I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't be saying this. This," she said, waving between the two of them, "was nothing but sex, a need to satisfy after we both felt hurt and rejected. I know you have feelings for Cuddy, and that you're still reeling from the hurt she caused by sleeping with Wilson."

House looked down at the floor.

"This is ridiculous," she said, letting out a nervous laugh and turning back towards the fire. "I should just stop talking." House heard her choke a little on her words, knowing she was on the verge of tears again.

"I need you," he said, his voice low.

She laughed again and spun around, eyes wide. "I think my little confession kind of hinders our arrangement, House. We should probably forget we ever said those three little words."

He looked up at her, locking her eyes with his. He heard her hitch his breath. Standing, he left his cane leaning on the couch and limped towards her.

"I need you," he repeated, standing directly in front of her. Grabbing her arms, he pulled her against him as their lips met. Cameron let out a small yelp at the surprise of his actions, but quickly melted against him, raising her hands to his face.

House tasted her lips hungrily as he had wished he could do since they left the locker room earlier that day. He craved her, her body against his, her breath on his face, her lips melding with his own. When he felt her delicate fingers slide down his cheeks, the softness of her touch soothing him, he knew he couldn't fight it any longer.

"I lied," he said, breathless as he broke away from her.

She stood speechless for a moment, registering all that had just happened. "Lied? You don't need me?"

"No, I…I mean, yes…" he stammered taking a few steps back. He already felt cold being apart from her. He turned his back to her as he took his cane and paced around the room. "I lied, earlier today, about Cuddy."

Cameron furrowed her brow. "You lied…you mean about her sleeping with Wilson?"

He sighed and dropped his head, unable to look at her. "No, she did sleep with Wilson. I lied…about being hurt about it."

"So she did sleep with Wilson, but you…you didn't care?" Cameron asked, still trying to figure out what he was saying.

"No. I stopped caring, if that's the word that describes what I was feeling towards her, the second you left me last night."

Cameron stared at him, stunned silent. He finally mustered the courage to look at her. When he saw her expression, he thought it best to just keep talking.

"I came to the ER to see you this morning, to tell you that whatever I was feeling for Cuddy seemed to just vanish overnight, and I knew I had you to thank for that. But when I got there, I saw the nurse hand you the flowers from Chase. I saw you read the card and smile. Next thing I know I'm going crazy trying to figure out why you would smile at Chase's attempt to win you back, and I'm in Wilson's office seeking answers…yet again. He tells me he screwed Cuddy and braces for me to rain holy terror down upon him, but alas I feel nothing but bliss at the fact that this woman I've pined over for weeks fucked my best friend. I felt…free."

Cameron stood listening to him, her mouth agape.

"So you came to the ER knowing my shift ended to find out about the flowers and if I really did give a damn that Chase had sent them to me? And then you lied to me, feigning hurt and anguish upon hearing the news that the woman you 'pined over' slept with your best friend so you could what…fuck me?" Cameron exclaimed, anger evident in her voice. "You pretended to be upset, watching me sit there and cry my eyes out, waiting for me to just say those words… 'I need you'."

Shaking her head, she walked towards the front door and grabbed the doorknob.

"I think you should leave," she said, holding back the tears and opening the door.

But House wasn't going to let her push him away. He strided towards her, lifted his cane and pushed the door closed with it. She jumped back and glared at him.

"Yeah, I'm an asshole, I lied to get into your pants. I guess I'm no different than every other guy out there," he steamed. "But you didn't let me finish before you decided to get all righteous on me. I'm sorry, was I alone in the room a few seconds ago when you confessed you still had feelings for me?"

"That was before you unveiled the fact that you lied to me and played with my emotions, getting me to think that you hurt just as badly as I did, hence us needing to…"

"To what, fuck? Jesus, Cameron, tell me you're not as gullible as I always thought you to be. You know, I thought you really changed, really grew up since you left my employment. But now I'm beginning to realize that a change in hair color and attitude doesn't hide the fact that you're still clueless," House spat, backing her against the door.

"I want you to get out," she hissed.

"Yes, Cameron, I wanted to fuck you, because frankly since you and I had our first drunken encounter I've been unable to think of anything else but fucking you," he said. Cameron slapped him across the face, and House closed his eyes as he waited for the sting to subside.

"You're a pig," she said shakily, pushing the tears back.

He opened his eyes and turned back towards her, his hands firmly grasping her shoulders.

"I woke up this morning and realized that all I ever felt towards Cuddy at most was lust. But you…you were different. I never knew it would be like that…I never knew I would actually…" he tried to say it, the words were on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn't. He laughed and dropped his head, shaking it.

"Actually what?" she asked, a bit apprehensive.

"I'm far past the point of just fucking now, Allison. It's a bit more serious than that," he said, still shaking his head.

She raised her hands to his and removed them from her shoulders. Grasping them firmly, she held them between their two bodies as she moved closer to him and pressed her forehead to his. House closed his eyes and delighted in the feel of her warm breath against his face once again.

"Dr. House, are you trying to tell me you fell in love with me?" she asked, smiling slightly.

House chuckled and raised his head to look into her eyes. They were still glistening, but something in her look changed. He didn't see anger or pain there any more…there was something else. The light had returned to her eyes.

"Let's just say I'm going to need you for an indefinite amount of time," he said, pulling her into a passionate kiss.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Their lips met in a delicious dance, softly tasting one another, melding together in such a way as if they were learning each other for the first time. He cupped her cheeks in his hands as their faces moved against each other. Their kiss was not a fevered one, for there was no need now to hurry, to satiate some lust-filled hunger. This kiss was just as passionate, but so much deeper. This was the gentle kiss between two people who loved each other.

A kiss of devotion. Of respect. A sign of worship as they attempted to show just how much they cherished being this close.

House became lost in her, content in merely just kissing her senseless. Cameron moved her fingers languidly through his hair, pulling his face as close to hers as possible.

It was the beginning of a connection that would never be severed, not if they had anything to say about it.

Finally they pulled apart and she laid her head against his chest, smiling in contentment. He wrapped his arms tightly around her small body and held her to him. Leaning his cheek on top of her head, he closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, relishing the sweet scent of her hair.

"It's late," she said softly. "Really late."

He sighed and nodded, unable to will away the exhaustion that crept over his body despite the fact he wanted nothing more than to make love to her in that moment.

"Let's go to sleep," she whispered, stepping back and taking her hand in his. She led him down the hall into her bedroom. It had been a long night, and they were both emotionally and physically spent. House could think of nothing better at that moment than falling asleep with Cameron in his arms.

He got his wish. After stripping down to their underwear, they fell asleep almost instantly, his arms wrapped protectively around her, spooning her against his body. She was warm and alive, and as she breathed soundly against him he could feel her body recharging, the glow returning to her skin. Resting his hand against her chest, he was lulled to sleep by the pulsing beat of her heart beneath his fingertips. He silently prayed that this was the beginning of the rest of his life, for he was giving his own heart to Allison Cameron and he hoped she treated it with great care. If she didn't, he knew he wouldn't survive.

A sudden sense of cold brought him out of the deepest sleep he'd had in what seemed like months, but he still did not open his eyes. He remained asleep, but he became aware of the sounds around him. Finally he slightly opened his eyes enough to notice she was no longer next to him. Breathing in deeply he rolled to his back and stretched his arms over his head. He felt amazing. Sleep was good for the soul, not to mention the love of a good woman.

He opened his eyes fully to the room and propped up on his elbows. Straining his ears he could hear her bustling about in the kitchen. Glancing at the clock, it read 7:15.

"Cameron?" he called out. He could hear her bare feet padding down the hallway. She appeared in the doorway with a plate in one hand and a cup of juice in the other.

His eyes lit up at the sight of food.

"I was going to chide you for abandoning me at this ungodly hour of the morning, but you've more than made up for your mistakes by bringing me food," he said, sitting up and taking the plate from her. He eyed the juice suspiciously. "This got vodka in it?"

She smiled and shook her head.

"I only drink juice if it's got vodka in it," he said, setting the glass down on the bedside table.

"You should try it without every once in a while," she said.

He rolled his eyes. "Oh geeze, you're not going to be one of those girlfriends who tries to 'change me' or 'make me a better man', are you?" he mocked, stuffing a forkful of eggs into his mouth.

"Now would I do that?" she asked.

"Of course you would," he said, taking a bite from a strip of bacon. "That's what you do. Not that I would let you."

"Let me?" she laughed. "Are you going to be one of those boyfriends who tries to control me?" she mocked.

"Now would I do that?" he mimicked.

"You are very territorial and strict about how you like things done, especially within your own life," Cameron said.

"I think that all kind of went out the window last night, don't you?" he said, meeting her eyes.

She smiled. "To say the least."

He sighed and returned his attentions to his almost empty plate. "I guess I'll be the one to say it…you know this will take some getting used to," he said, pointing the fork between the two of them.

"What, being in a relationship with you?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "I don't think I'll ever get used to that."

He placed the plate next to the full glass of juice and lay back down on the bed feeling full and content.

"Good. First rule about dating Gregory House…never wake him up before 9 a.m. And that's only for emergencies. If you really care about me you won't let me see the light of day until at least 10:00."

She smiled and stretched out on her side next to him. "If you should awaken at 6 a.m. while I'm moving around the room trying to get ready for work, that's not my fault. Or if I'm just coming in at 6 a.m. from a night shift and should happen to wake you up…again, not my fault."

He moaned and shook his head.

"Of course," she continued, running her finger up his arm, "you might not complain so much depending on the manner in which I awaken you." Leaning in close, she nuzzled his neck before tracing her tongue along his jaw line up to his ear, where she bit down lightly on his lobe.

House shuddered and instinctively reached for her. He rolled her on to her back and settled on top of her, placing his lips gently on her neck, planting kisses along her collar bone. His hands slid to the hem of the tank top she had put on at some point that morning and lifted it up. Cameron raised her arms so the shirt could slide right off.

His hands returned to her body, cupping and molding her breast as he teased her nipple with his teeth. She arched her back and moaned at the sensation. His hands continued to move until they hooked the elastic of her panties, pulling them down her legs and off. Cameron used her feet to pull at his boxers, and he assisted her in their removal.

Her body was warm, and wet, and quite possibly the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Having a woman this gorgeous beneath you was a privilege, a gift. He met her eyes and saw her desire for him, another gift he was grateful for.

He moved up her body until his lips founds hers once more. She began to giggle and pushed him away, wiping her mouth. "Ewww, you've got bacon grease on your chin."

He wiped his chin and rolled his eyes. "Well, what did you expect, Cameron? You made me a plate of fat and grease for breakfast, not fruit and scones."

She paused for a moment and stared up at him dreamily, his face inches from her own.

"Last night you called me Allison," she said, almost whispering. "And yesterday, in the locker room." House remained still for a moment, recalling the memory and how wonderful it had been to call her by her first name.

"Yeah," he said, equally as soft.

"I liked it," she said.

He smirked. First names were very personal for him. He hated being personal, he was too private a person. The only person he'd refer to by first name was Stacy, and she was as personal as he had ever been. But what he'd felt for her was nothing compared to this. This was more than personal; this was deeply intimate. He wanted to be bonded to this woman.

"Allison," he whispered, running his fingers down the side of her face. She gasped and closed her eyes, simultaneously rolling her hips against him. A flame burst behind his eyes at the sensation of feeling her rub against him at the mere sound of her name on his lips. She was turned on by it, which in turned aroused him like crazy.

She opened her eyes and stared into his own, the electricity between them building. She lazily traced his own cheek with her finger.

"Greg," she moaned seductively. It had been the most erotic thing he'd ever heard. So much so it was his undoing.

He thrust inside her so fast and so deeply that it shocked them both. It was merely his body's reaction to her voice, her use of his first name, the sound of it so sweet, so torturous he had to be buried within her to withstand it.

Their lips met hungrily once more, and all other thoughts fell from existence. They were one again…it was heaven on earth.

They stared into each other's eyes as he moved in and out of her, his hand sliding down to her thigh and lifting her leg so he could maneuver deeper within her. He couldn't remove his eyes from hers, though. The sensations grew more intense, and Cameron grabbed his shoulders, digging her fingernails into his flesh as she felt her orgasm building. She finally had to break his gaze and close her eyes as her world spun out of control.

He lowered his head to her shoulder and kissed her hot skin, his thrusts growing erratic as he felt his own release building.

She cried out and he kissed her cheek before placing his mouth against her ear.

"You're mine, Allison. Say you're mine," he said in a husky whisper.

"Greg," she managed to reply. "I am yours. Only yours."

The words were music to his ears.

He could feel her body shuddering, her inner walls closing in around him. She wrapped her legs around his waist and raised her hips to meet his own.

Desperately he found her lips again before resting his forehead on her own, their panting breaths battling each other as their bodies continued to move together.

"You're so…amazing," he grunted.

She cried out again, her fingertips damn near scarring his back, and he cried out from the pleasurable pain she was inflicting upon him.

"I am yours," she repeated.

"Always," he responded, not fully knowing where that had come from.

"Tell me," she breathed, squeezing him with her inner muscles. "Tell me why." He cried out, tangling his fingers in her hair and squeezing them into fists.

"Because…" he mumbled, rolling his hips, causing her to momentarily stop breathing.

"Because why?" she said, voice strained.

He moaned as his climax reached its pique.

"Tell me," she cried out, her own orgasm at its pinnacle.

"I love you," he roared as his release finally came and he spilled himself inside her. She came with him, her legs squeezing his hips like a vice as she rode out her orgasm until both of their bodies finally relaxed against each other, their bodies still joined.

She ran her fingers through his hair as they fought to relegate their breathing. His words were echoing through her head and into her heart, mending any damage previously wrought by any other man who was now deemed undeserving of her love. There was only one man for her now, and she was determined to keep it that way. She silently prayed he would be careful with her, for she knew that just as he had mended her broken heart, he could just as easily break it again. He was, after all, House.

"I love you, too," she said. He smiled and kissed her, and for the first time in a long time finally felt there was something worth living for after all.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

After trying six separate attempts to dislodge her lips from his own, Cameron finally wiggled out from underneath his wandering hands with enough time to shower, jump in her scrubs and head to work to start her shift.

She drove to work feeling utterly glorious. Glancing up in the sky, she couldn't remember a time she'd ever seen the sun shine so brightly. Her heart was damn near pounding out of her chest with excitement at her new found relationship.

He loved her. He had told her in the heat of their love making, and he had told her once more before she reluctantly left him in her bed.

House loved Cameron. Three words she'd been dying to say for way too long. The only proof she ever needed to finally realize miracles can happen.

Pulling into the parking lot, she shut off her car and stepped out. She tossed her bag over her shoulder and approached the ER, holding back the urge to actually skip. Her whole body felt feathery light. Somewhere in the back of her mind she wondered if she should tether weights to her ankles to keep her from floating away during the day today.

"Good morning Dr. Cameron," the nurse said, eyeing her suspiciously as she entered the ER.

"Morning Linda," Cameron replied, grinning from ear to ear.

Linda raised her eyebrows as she watched Cameron pass and enter the locker room. "She must have made up with Dr. Chase," Linda mumbled to the nurse next to her. They both giggled.

Cameron took of her coat and hung it inside her locker. She glanced over at the corner of the room and blushed, recalling yesterday's encounter with House against that very wall. The memory brought an instant heat to her body, and a familiar tingling between her legs. She sat down and crossed her legs, taking a deep breath to calm herself. _Not here, not now_, she thought.

Cameron and House had time earlier that morning to quickly discuss the working together situation. House was confused at first, explaining that they no longer worked together. Cameron specified that while they no longer worked in the same department, they still worked in the same hospital, technically working 'together'. House brushed it off as semantics and told her she worried too much.

But they eventually agreed they would keep their budding relationship a secret from their colleagues for now. House added that Wilson didn't count, since he already knew they had slept together and as House put it, "has a nose like a bloodhound when it comes to people having sex, and would probably smell it on us the minute he came near." So they agreed Wilson could know, but no one else, especially not Cuddy.

"And what about Chase?" House had asked.

Cameron thought a moment. "I don't want him to know. But I'll deal with him," she said, then burned him with her gaze, "meaning you're to turn and walk the other way should you see him coming."

"But we have fun elevator rides together," House whined. "I enjoy our conversations."

"Please," she had pleaded. "It's a delicate situation."

House rolled his eyes. "Fine," he grunted.

Cameron shook her head and returned to the present, standing and slamming her locker door closed. She stopped at the mirror to give herself a once over. The ridiculous smile permanently plastered to her face was a dead giveaway that she had experienced the most mind blowing sex of her life that morning, so she did her best to wipe it from her visage and appear as sullen as possible.

It was hard work.

House finally dragged himself out of Cameron's bed closer to 10 a.m. He dressed and made his way toward the door when he noticed Cameron had left something very important on the living room table. Making a mental note, he put on his coat and walked out the door, turning and locking it behind him using the key she had given him before she left.

He looked at the key a moment, realizing all its symbolic meaning, and smiled. Gripping the key tightly, he continued down the hall and out to his bike. A half hour later after going home, showering and changing, he returned to Cameron's apartment in his car and let himself back in.

Ten more minutes went by and he was finally pulling into the parking lot at PPTH. He got out of his car and went around to his trunk, taking out the medium sized box. He maneuvered the box in his one hand while leaning on his cane with the other and limped steadily towards the hospital.

As the doors slid open, he walked inside and immediately turned toward the hallway that led to the ER.

"House?"

He stopped and turned. Wilson stood outside of the elevators, hands in his pockets, eyeing his best friend and the box tumultuously balanced in his free hand suspiciously.

"Morning Jimmy," House said, grinning.

Wilson narrowed his eyes. "Are you smiling?"

"Probably, it's a common symptom of happiness."

Wilson raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Happiness? You?"

"Yes, happiness, the smiling…also symptoms of having earth shattering sex," House replied matter-of-factly.

Wilson shook his head and chuckled.

"Which reminds me," House continued, "did you bang the boss again last night?"

Wilson eyes grew wide in horror as he closed the distance between them in a hurry. "Can you please not announce that to the entire hospital!"

House looked around and noticed the eyes watching them, but no one looked unphased.

"Relax, Dr. Love, I don't think I have the same effect on these people as I used to. Seems they've grown immune to my shocking and witty remarks, therefore they probably just don't believe a word I say these days," said House.

Wilson glanced around nervously and noticed no one staring at him dumbstruck. House was probably right. He closed his eyes and sighed, then turned his attention back to his friend.

"So…did you?" House asked, waggling his eyebrows.

Wilson hastily decided to chance the subject. "What's with the box? You moving in?"

House smirked and looked down at the box. "You know I was wondering how long it would take you to notice your crippled friend standing here precariously holding a somewhat heavy box of junk with one hand." House shoved the box into Wilson's arms. Wilson grabbed the box in surprise.

Glancing in the box, he saw some CDs, books, a toothbrush, a hairbrush and some hair products, a few folded items of clothing and what appeared to be a stuffed teddy bear.

"Since when did you start putting mousse in your hair?" Wilson asked, picking up the bottle. "And what's with this?" He said, lifting the teddy bear from the box.

House looked at him accusingly. "What, you don't sleep with your favorite teddy? Oh, wait, you're spooning a demonic she-beast these nights…not quite as cuddly. You can have him, might help with the therapy you'll need after she's chewed you up and spit you out," House said, pushing the teddy bear towards him.

Wilson shook his head. "House, if you really must know, there hasn't been a…repeat performance," Wilson said, his voice low.

"Wow, were you that much of a disappointment? I mean, lately it seems like she'd screw anything with a penis - real, rubber or otherwise," House scoffed. "If she's not begging to bounce up and down on yours again, you must have left her completely unsatisfied."

"We just haven't…really had a chance to discuss what happened, and whether or not we'd like to explore…you know, anything more," Wilson drew out.

House sucked in his bottom lip. "Well, sounds like you've got your own issues to deal with. I gotta run…gotta see a blonde about a teddy bear." He took the box from Wilson back into the crook of his arm and turned towards the ER.

"Wait," Wilson called after him.

"Later," House shouted back, continuing down the hall.

He spotted her as soon as he entered the ER. She was scribbling a name on the exam room white board while glancing over a file.

"Morning, sweetcheeks," he said. Cameron spun around so fast she nearly dropped her file. The marker in her other hand flew across the nurse's desk. Nurse Linda looked up.

"Good morning, Dr. House," Cameron replied, shocked but as professionally as possible, questioning him with her eyes. _What are you doing?_

"You forgot something," he said, pushing the box towards her. She sucked in her breath and took the box from him.

"Oh…yeah," she replied, placing it on top of the desk. "I could have just brought this in tomorrow," she said to him quietly.

"Why put off until tomorrow what you can do today," he quoted. "No reason to put off the inevitable. And besides," he said, leaning in as close to her ear as possible, "I want all signs of him gone from your apartment, and from you, because you're mine now, and I don't share very well."

Cameron slightly closed her eyes and hitched her breath, the very nearness of his mouth to her ear undoing her. She gripped the file in her arms for dear life and placed her other hand on top of the desk to steady herself. He literally did make her weak in the knees. Blushing, she smiled wickedly up at him as their eyes locked for a moment.

"Well, thank you Dr. House, I appreciate you bringing this to me," she said, stepping back. "I'll see that he gets it right away."

"Great," he exclaimed. "One quick question, though." He reached into the box and pulled out the teddy bear, then looked at her. "This explains so much about the man."

She rolled her eyes and grabbed it from his hand, throwing it back into the box. "It was a stupid Christmas present."

"Wow, for a guy with a lot of funds he's pretty cheap."

"There was a diamond anklet around its neck," she added, challenging him with her eyes.

He nodded. "Ah, so it was a symbolic gift – you're the teddy bear and he was strangling you with his materialistic trinkets. I noticed there's no diamond anklet in the box."

"Don't you have a patient to tend to?" she asked, tilting her head to the side.

Out of the corner of his eye House noticed Nurse Linda doing her best to eaves drop.

"Oh, muffin," he said loudly, "chasing me away already? But you know I can't live without seeing you."

Linda giggled. House turned towards her. "Isn't she just a vision, Nurse…Linda," he asked, squinting to read her ID badge.

"Oh, indeed she is," Linda replied. "But you best be careful, Dr. House. You don't want Dr. Chase to come down at catch you hitting on his best girl."

House smiled. "Oh, you're so right, we can't have that now. That Chase…he's a lucky man."

Cameron pleaded him with her eyes once more. _Ok, you had your fun, time to go_.

"In fact, by the way she's been bouncing around here this morning with a big smile on her face, I'd say things between her and Dr. Chase made a turn for the better last night," Linda added, burying her laughter beneath her hand. "Guess those flowers did the trick."

House raised his eyebrows and looked at Cameron. "Really…did we have an eventful night last night, Dr. Cameron? Have you broken into song and dance yet from the giddiness surging within you?"

"Eventful? Yes. But my thighs ache too much to dance from the unbelievable sex we had, and as for singing, I don't think that's a possibility either…he had me screaming his name so many times my voice is a little hoarse," she simply stated, taking the box off the desk and walking away.

Nurse Linda watched her go, her jaw resting on top of the desk. House's eyes blazed blue as he watched Cameron exit, his eyes transfixed on her ass and the sway of her hips. He turned back towards Linda.

"Sounds like Dr. Chase has his hands full with that one," he said wide-eyed before turning and heading back towards the elevators, grinning devilishly.


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: Wow, it's been a while…ummmm…sorry

**A/N: **Wow, it's been a while…ummmm…sorry? I apparently fell off the face of the earth, don't know how it happened, must have slipped one day while taking a leisurely stroll. Anyway, I'm back, and this story continues…by the way, I don't own House, just like to play with him ;-)

**Chapter 16**

Cameron sat in the locker room alone, eyeing the box nervously. She still had no idea how to completely end things with Chase. While he undoubtedly was still a scumbag in her eyes, cheating on her the way he did and thinking it wasn't a reason for them to breakup, she was still Cameron, still soft-hearted, still tip-toeing around delicate situations.

Sighing, she cringed knowing that this was the type of situation where she needed to be more like House. Blunt, harsh, and to the point.

Her cowardice got the better of her though, and she reached in her bag pulling out a pad of paper and a pen. She stared at it a moment before writing.

Moments later she was back out in the ER, sneaking behind the desk and leaning over the computer. She punched a few keys, clicked the mouse a few times and brought up the OR schedules for the day. It relieved her to no end to see that Chase was scheduled for an appendectomy in five minutes. Perfect timing.

"Linda, I'm taking a 15 minute break," she said. Nurse Linda nodded as Cameron made her way back to the locker room, emerging a minute later with the box in her arms.

House and his team had just finished their differential, coming up with new theories before he sent them away to run more tests. He returned to his office and slumped down on his recliner, laying his head back and closing his eyes. Rubbing his temples, he wracked his brain to diagnose his latest patient, but nothing was coming to him.

So he decided to avert his thoughts, hoping a break from the case would help. His thoughts traveled to the only other thing that consumed him besides work…her. He smiled as he pictured her face behind his eyes, inhaling deeply as her scent still lingered on him.

Seconds later there was a knock at the door. House's eyes shot open as he turned expectantly, hoping it was her, but frowning as Wilson entered.

"Lunch?" he said, raising his eyebrows.

House sighed and rolled his eyes. "I swear, are you capable of doing anything by yourself?"

Wilson shrugged. "You know I need you to cut my meat for me."

House smirked as he stood. "Yeah, right…you just want to dish."

"Dish? Oh, you mean gossip?" Wilson replied as they entered the hallway. "Why, Dr. House…do you have something to tell me?"

"Yeah, you're avoiding Cuddy like the plague," House said, pushing the elevator button. "Don't worry, I don't think less of you. In fact, I think you should avoid her. The more distance you two put between yourselves the less likely it is you'll have sex again. Believe me, I only have your best interests at heart."

The doors slid open and House and Wilson stepped into the empty box. "I'm not avoiding her."

"Oh, so she's avoiding you?"

Wilson rolled his eyes. "No."

"Then why are you asking me to lunch and not her?" House asked. "I'm not as easy to seduce…I play hard to get. Cuddy, well she's a sure thing, isn't she?"

"You wouldn't know, House," Wilson sniped. House clenched his jaw.

"Ouch," he said, almost whispering.

"Oh come on," Wilson said, slapping him on the shoulder. "Why aren't you telling me what's going on with you and Cameron?"

House stared at him incredulously before the elevator slowed to a halt two floors below their intended destination. He was grateful for the fact that more people were about to get on the elevator and he could avoid the subject a bit longer, because even though they had agreed Wilson could know, it was just too much fun playing with him.

The doors opened and he found himself staring into the surprised eyes of Cameron. Time seemed to stop as they stared at each other, his body instantly relaxing at the nearness of her, the softness of her features shooting electricity through his entire body. She looked slightly nervous, wringing her hands together as she stepped into the elevator followed by three nurses and a doctor. She kept her eyes locked with his, however, as she moved closer to him until she turned to face the doors. The now crowded elevator caused her back to brush against the front of him as she made room for the others.

The very sensation of her against him made it difficult to keep their secret any longer as all he wanted to do was reach his hands around her waist and pull her to him tighter, burying his face in her neck.

"Hey Dr. Cameron," Wilson said, grinning as if he could read their minds. She turned sharply to him, not noticing his presence before.

"Oh, hey Wilson," she responded, smiling. "Hey House," she said, looking back towards the doors.

"Cameron," he said, his voice low. She shivered as the vibrations from his chest moved against her back.

"Do you have a patient in surgery?" Wilson asked, shaking her out of her reverie as she looked back at him.

"Pardon?" she asked.

"I take it you were coming from an OR," Wilson said, pointing towards the door.

"Oh, um…yes," she nodded. House glared at Wilson for his sudden interrogation. Wilson caught his glare and shrugged his shoulders.

"What?" he asked.

The doors slid open again as two of the nurses stepped out and Wilson made his way to the front before four more people stepped on to the elevator. Wilson stopped and turned as he stepped out, holding the door open with his hand. House hadn't moved.

"You coming House?"

House gave him a sly grin. "Sorry Jimmy, looks like you'll have to cut your own meat today. I just remembered I need to assist my team in the lab."

Wilson furrowed his brow for a second before glancing at Cameron, who gave him the same mischievous grin as House. He chuckled to himself and shook his head before letting go of the door.

"Later, House," Wilson said before the doors shut.

The elevator was still crowded, and Cameron had pushed herself closer to House. He could feel his chest start to sweat from the heat radiating off of her. Keeping his gaze transfixed on the descending numbers as they were now going down, he slowly stretched his right hand to envelop her right hip, squeezing. Her eyelids fluttered as she held her breath, trying in earnest not to show anything to the other members of the elevator who, for the most part, were staring silently at the descending numbers as well.

His deft forefinger slipped up, taking a small part of the hem of her top with it, until he was grazing her warm bare flesh.

Cameron shifted slightly before crossing her arms over her chest, her right elbow masking House's hand as two additional fingers joined the first in its caress of her skin. House felt a familiar stirring within his pants as he felt her breathing grow shallow at his touch.

"Dr. Cameron," he said calmly. "I'm glad I ran into you. I have a tough case, I believe it's autoimmune. Wondering if you would mind looking at the file and giving me your thoughts."

"Oh, sure Dr. House, but I only have a few minutes before my break is over and then I have to get back to the ER," she said nonchalantly.

"A few minutes are all I need," he replied.

He pulled his hand away without anyone knowing the wiser before the doors to his floor opened. House and Cameron made their way out of the crowded elevator and out into the hallway towards his office. They walked slowly, as if it was something they did every day, and House even started talking a bit about the case.

But as they reached his door, he opened it swiftly and ushered her inside, locking it behind her. He drew his blinds as she locked the door to the adjoining conference room.

They quickly looked around to make sure they were shielded and secure from the outside world before looking back at each other and smiling.

Suddenly they were in each other's arms, her lips feverishly seeking his out, his large hands returning under her shirt before slipping under the waistband of her pants and squeezing her bare hips.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

"I meant what I said…I only have a few minutes," she said breathlessly between frantic kisses.

He quickly lifted her shirt over her arms and off of her, tossing it somewhere. She undid the buttons on his shirt before sliding it down his arms and turning her attentions to the button on his jeans.

"And I told you, a few minutes are all I need," he replied before his tongue resumed battle with her own. His hands cupped her lace-covered breasts and began a ruthless massage, eliciting a moan of pleasure from deep in her throat.

"No," she said, pulling back slightly and running her hand over his erection. "A few minutes are all I need." Smiling coyly, she backed him up until his legs hit the recliner, making him fall back into it. Lowering herself to her knees, she made fast work of his zipper and shimmied his jeans down over his hips.

He was hard and ready for her, his eyes shimmering with his fierce need for her, his entire body electrified by her actions.

She freed him from his boxers and leaned up to capture his lips in one last searing kiss, stroking his length with a firm grasp until he sucked in his breath and squeezed his eyes shut, willing his body to hold out a bit longer.

Crouching down between his legs, she licked him from base to tip, slowly tracing wet circles along the velvety skin, moistening her lips with the drops of escaping pre-cum. House's eyes rolled back into his head, his lips going dry at the sight of her servicing him.

His hands went instinctively to her head, tangling in her tresses. She took him fully into her mouth and his hands gripped the arms of the chair. As she continued to take him in and out of her mouth, letting her tongue dance along his shaft, he balled his right hand into a fist and bit as hard as he could on it to keep from screaming out and alerting those outside his office as to the little show that was going on in here.

He felt the familiar surge deep in his groin, and when she finally took him so deep he could feel the back of her throat, coupled with the vibrations of her moans, he couldn't hold back any longer, spilling himself into her warm mouth. She moaned again appreciatively before licking him clean.

After regaining his ability to move, speak and form a coherent thought, she was leaning against his chest, smiling victoriously up at him.

"I'd say that was the best break I've ever taken," she said, winking at him before sliding away to retrieve her shirt from the top of his desk. She quickly dressed and smoothed down her hair, taking a moment to look at her reflection in the glass.

House watched her, dazed, a goofy yet satisfied grin gracing his face.

"Were you coming from Chase's office?" he asked from nowhere.

She stopped and turned toward him, hesitating a moment before nodding her head.

"What did he say?" House asked, standing and zipping up his pants.

She sighed heavily and looked down at the floor. "Nothing…I mean…he wasn't there."

House raised his eyebrows. "So you just took the box to his office and left it there for him to figure out himself?"

She shrugged. "Sort of."

House regarded her a moment. "Ah, you left a note didn't you?"

She smiled sheepishly. "I didn't feel like telling him to his face, and I didn't want to just give him back his stuff without any explanation."

He smirked and held out his arms to her. She rubbed her hands through her hair and went to him, sighing happily as his arms enveloped her. He kissed the top of her head.

"You're such a do-gooder…even when dumping a guy," he teased.

"Oh, like you're complaining. You're the one who told me to do it today as soon as possible," she replied.

"True."

Cameron's eyes opened and glanced at the clock on the wall. "Ok, now I really have to go. I left on my 15-minute break almost a half an hour ago. Linda's going to report me or something."

He scoffed. "Please, you're with me now…and I have an in with the dean of his hospital. In fact, I think you should take more breaks…and they should all be just like that one."

"The dean of his hospital is constantly screaming at you for breaking her rules," Cameron reminded him. "I don't think she'll do you any favors."

"Again, true…but I have a little something over her at the moment."

"Would that be Wilson?" Cameron asked, grinning mischievously.

"Oooh, I have taught you well."

"Not that this isn't interesting, but I REALLY have to go," she said, laughing and pulling away from him.

"Oh, come on, you have time…all we have is time…" he trailed off, his eyes locking on something she couldn't see. She knew that look all too well.

"You just solved your case, didn't you?" she asked knowingly, heading towards the door. He nodded slowly as if he barely heard her, working through some mystery in his head and finally figuring out the answer.

"I'll see you later House," she said, unlocking the door and walking out into the hallway, leaving him to his thoughts.

Three hours later House had his patient properly diagnosed and his team had already began treatment. He was in his office packing up his knapsack, deciding he had done enough work for the day. Now to get Cameron off early.

Stepping off the elevators, he headed towards Cuddy's office with a purpose. He immediately spotted her busying about her desk, gathering up a stack of files into her arms and heading towards her own door. She lifted her gaze and met his eyes.

"Not now, House," she said hurriedly, brushing past him.

"Rushing off to see your new fuck buddy?" he said. She stopped abruptly and spun on her stiletto heel, her face beet red. Her eyes darted around nervously, and she sighed graciously that they were alone.

"Would you mind keeping your voice down?" she whispered loudly as she moved closer to him.

"Oh come on, Cuddles, fess up…after you turned me down you realized how much you really wanted me, but you had already made a point that we could never be an item, so you went in search of the next best thing, my own best friend, and balled his brains out, right?" House was inwardly letting out a resounding cheer.

Cuddy rolled her eyes. "I don't know what Wilson told you, but…it was just a drunken mistake. We all have those," she said pointedly.

"So that's all he is to you? A drunken mistake?" House asked.

Cuddy shook her head and let out a frustrated sigh. "Look, I don't have time to discuss this with you, nor do I want to ever have time to discuss this with you…so let's leave it be. I have a thousand things to do and it's already almost 3:00," she said, turning back around.

"Because Wilson thought otherwise," House continued, ignoring her. She stopped again and faced him.

"Why, what did he say?" she asked, suddenly very interested in the conversation. He smirked.

"Just that he hoped there would be a repeat performance."

Cuddy's eyebrows arched. "He did?"

House nodded, then leaned in close to her ear. "He said you were the best he ever had," he whispered.

Cuddy smiled softly and looked down at her shoes, averting his eyes. Finally she looked up at House, the evil glint in his eye showing through. Her smile faded and she stamped her foot.

"Oh, Christ, House, what do you want? You're playing me because you need something," she said, turning and walking away from him. He followed. "And I don't know why you have your knapsack over your shoulder because according to my watch your day has not ended yet."

"That's just it, boss…I diagnosed my patient, my team is doing what you pay them minimally for, so my day is done. You see I have a lot to do at home, rearranging furniture and such. I have a buddy here at work who is going to leave early to help me, too."

"Is that so? Who would that be, Wilson?" she asked, turning right down the corridor that led to the Emergency Room.

Suddenly House's phone alerted him to a message. He snapped open the phone and read the text.

_Need you…NOW!!_

"She's insatiable!" he said aloud to himself. "So just wanted to let you know that my buddy and I are leaving early and page us if you need us."

"Whatever, House...I have to get these forms to the ER before heading upstairs, not to mention I'm in the throes of planning the spring fundraiser which is only a few weeks away, so if you need to leave early to get out of my hair, then by all means, you two have fun moving furniture."

"Thanks, my buddy will appreciate it, as do I because, you know, bum leg and all, moving furniture can be a bitch," House replied, lifting his cane and playing the sympathy card. Cuddy rolled her eyes and shook her head.

It was then they heard the raised voices coming from the ER. They both stopped for a moment to listen.

"Are you kidding me with this?" the man said.

"Please lower your voice, you're making a scene," the female replied.

House recognized those voices anywhere. Cuddy looked at him with questioning eyes before they continued into the reception area.

Chase was standing in front of Cameron, his face red. Cameron had her hand on his arm trying to calm him down. In his other hand was a piece of paper, the note House assumed Cameron had left him with his box of things.

"Please, Chase, let's go somewhere quiet to talk about this…please?" Cameron urged him.

Chase was breathing heavily and finally looked around to notice the wide-eyed spectators surrounding them. Cameron turned towards the doctor's lounge with Chase in tow when House and Cuddy came into view.

"What's going on here?" Cuddy asked as she approached them angrily. Chase and Cameron turned towards her in shock.

"Dr. Cuddy…I'm…" Cameron began.

Chase's eyes landed directly on House. "Oh, well, here he is now…Dr. House comes to Cameron's rescue yet again. Tell me, House, what's it like to fuck another man's girl?"

Cuddy and Cameron both dropped their jaws at the same time at his remark.

"You should know, Chase…you seem to like to fuck every other man's girl but your own," House replied spitefully.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

"That's enough, all of you," Cuddy spat, her voice low. Cameron lowered her head, her cheeks blushing crimson as she willed the tears not to fall from her eyes.

House glared at Chase, anger suddenly surging from within him at the mere glimpse of Chase causing her this embarrassment. He felt immediately territorial; a need to protect what was his. And that's just what she was…his.

"You've got some nerve picking a fight with her here," he seethed.

"I've got nerve?" Chase shot back, his Australian accent thick. "You're screwing my girlfriend…"

"Chase," Cameron cut him off, her eyes shimmering.

"I said that's enough," Cuddy cut in, ushering them out of the double doors and into the ambulance bay. "I don't think I need to say how completely unprofessional this is."

"He started it," House whined like a toddler, pointing towards Chase.

"And I feel utterly appalled that I have to stand here and berate you like children in junior high," Cuddy continued, ignoring House.

"Dr. Cuddy, I am so sorry. I didn't mean for this to come out here. You're right, this is completely unprofessional and uncalled for, and I can't apologize enough," Cameron babbled.

"Oh stop," House said. Cameron's jaw snapped close and she stared at him incredulously. "Don't grovel, baby. Doesn't become you. Besides, this is not your fault. The Temper Tantrum Queen from Down Under here is the one who broke all codes of professionalism."

Chase was red with anger, his forehead sweaty. He continued to glare at House, but kept his mouth shut. His breathing was short and rapid as he attempted to subside his anger in front of Cuddy.

"I apologize, Dr. Cuddy," he finally said through gritted teeth, Cameron's note crumpled in his hand. "It won't happen again."

Cuddy nodded as she glared at him. "Your damn right, Dr. Chase. If I hear one more peep about your personal lives within the walls of my hospital, you can be sure you'll all be seeing a lot more of the clinic than you'd probably care to, and that's before I put you on suspension."

"Oh, don't tempt me," House grinned at her.

"Yes, Dr. Cuddy. Completely understood," Cameron said, unable to look directly at the dean. She turned for a moment toward Chase whose gaze was directed out at the parking lot and away from the group, but then quickly turned and walked quickly back through the ER doors.

Chase turned his head to watch her go, his anger still evident before meeting House's eyes. Chase threw the note at House's feet before taking a threatening step closer to him.

"Dr. Chase, I think you should take a walk," Cuddy said, placing her hand on his arm.

Chase smirked in House's face. "Always getting your women to fight your battles for you, eh House?"

"I'm a lover and an intellectual, not a fighter," House replied, never faltering his gaze.

"Chase, go take a walk, NOW," Cuddy shouted.

Chase shook his head and walked the opposite direction towards the parking lot. House sighed heavily and looked down at the paper at his feet. Bending down, he retrieved the note and placed it in his pocket.

House and Cuddy watched Chase retreat.

"Kids," House said, shrugging his shoulders. "What are you gonna do with them?" He spun on his heel and headed towards the doors."

"House," Cuddy simply stated, and he inwardly cursed at the fact that he almost got away.

"My liege?"

She turned towards him, her eyes fixed on his. "Is it true?"

He would have come back with his usual witty retort, but something in her eyes warned him otherwise. He sighed again and moved his eyes to focus on anything other than her own.

"Do you mean, am I screwing his girlfriend, or EX-girlfriend as he should have properly titled her?"

Cuddy nodded slightly.

"Sorry Dr. Cuddy, I have received explicit instructions from my boss not to discuss my personal life within the walls of this hospital which…" he trailed off, quickly stepping back so the double doors could slide open and he stepped quickly inside, "I am now in, so you see, I can't talk about it." He mimicked zipping up his lips and locking it with a key before placing the key in his pocket.

She grinned and shook her head, walking into the ER beside him. "You've already answered my question, no need for a discussion. I'm glad you…you've moved on. And quickly I might add." Her eyebrows shot up at the realization. "I mean wasn't it just two days ago you were asking me out? According to Wilson you were pretty infatuated with me."

"Nice of Wilson to share that," House said. He secretly vowed to castrate Wilson as soon as he found him cowering in his office.

"It was always Cameron, though," Cuddy continued. House froze and stared at her, uncertain of her meaning. "You two have been doing this dance since her first day in your fellowship. There's no denying the way you look at her, and the puppy dog eyes she's always had for you. But she's different now, she's grown up. She's independent, and confident. And a damn good doctor. But she's still fragile, House. Be careful with her. She could barely stand up to me out there, or to Chase's anger…she thinks the sun revolves around you, just think how much it would break her if you toyed with her emotions."

House stood silent listening to his boss and in some respects, friend, give him advice on his new-found relationship. Her words rang true, though, no matter how much he wanted to shake them off.

Cuddy broke his train of thought when she placed her hand on his arm and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I'm happy for you, just be careful," she whispered and offered him a slight smile before walking away.

He didn't watch her go, just stood planted inside the door. She was right; he had to tread carefully, something he was so horrible at. Cameron was still the ingénue, innocent and sweet. He was everything she wasn't. He was irritable, miserable and crass. Eventually, he would break her. He was sure of it. Without meaning to, or perhaps he would mean it…he would break her.

His fingers played with the ball of paper in his pocket before pulling it out. Carefully he opened the note and read the familiar script.

_Robert,_

_Here are your things from my apartment; some were once meant for me, but I don't feel right keeping them now. I know you've been trying to make amends, trying to rekindle what we had. But to be honest, this relationship was doomed from the start. It may have taken that one mistake on your part for me to finally realize it, but I would have eventually seen the truth. It wouldn't have made a difference if you cheated on me, or done something much simpler like disagreed with me on something. I can't lie to myself any longer. There's always been someone else. I don't think that's any secret. The entire world must know by now that there's always been someone else, no matter how unreachable he is. I'm beginning to believe in miracles, though, and I am determined to chip away at that wall around his heart until I've freed him. I need him…it's as simple as that. And he needs me._

_So this is the end, and while I want to say let's still be friends, everyone knows that never works. Because my heart was never really in this relationship, Robert, I can't say that I feel the need to forgive you for cheating on me. Actually, I surprisingly don't blame you. We haven't exactly been the most intimate couple in a long time. I still respect you though. You are a brilliant doctor, and you always were a great friend. I hope one day in the future, we can find that friendship again, truly. _

_I wish you a happy life, as I hope you do for me._

_Allison_

House folded the paper neatly and placed it back in his pocket. He scanned the busy department for her but came up empty. He met Nurse Linda's eyes behind the desk. Linda quickly pointed her gaze towards the doctor's locker room before looking back at the computer screen.

House raced to the door and opened it. He could hear her sobs before he could see her. Locking the door behind him, he limped towards the hall door and locked that one, too.

"House, what are you doing?" she asked, standing from her bench in the middle of the room.

"Apparently people don't believe in privacy around here. Are you ok?" he asked, moving towards her.

She laughed nervously and threw her hands in the air. "Oh yeah, that's was tons of fun. I hope we can do it again tomorrow. Now the whole hospital knows, I'm sure. So much for keeping this a secret. God, I feel like crawling under a rock somewhere." She buried her face in her hands.

"Who gives a shit? So they know. What do they know? That Chase accused me of screwing you? Idle gossip. It will circulate through the rumor mill, yeah, but do you think anyone will actually believe that the sadistic, misanthropic Dr. House and the innocent, pure Dr. Cameron are sleeping together? No way. Pure speculation."

Cameron laughed slightly and sat back down. He moved to sit next to her.

"Pack up, we're outta here," he said after a moment of silence, slapping her thigh. She questioned him with her eyes. "Boss said I can leave early, and my buddy can come with me."

"Your buddy?"

"Yeah, can't move furniture by myself," he said, lifting his cane.

"Furniture?" Cameron shook her head. "House, I have two hours left on my shift…"

He leaned in close and pressed his forehead to hers, silencing her immediately. "Do you need me?" he whispered sweetly.

She smiled faintly, the nearness of him hypnotizing. Closing her eyes, she let her heart answer for her. "Yes," she whispered back.

He captured her lips in a searing kiss, his hands cupping the sides of her face before pulling away and rising.

"Meet me at my bike in five minutes," he said before unlocking the door and leaving her speechless. After a minute, she finally moved to pack up her bag and grab her coat. She couldn't believe she was playing hookie, and something told her Cuddy had not authorized this. But then again, at that moment after the hour she just had, she really didn't care. For once in her life…she didn't care.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

"House, when you said we were leaving early to 'move furniture,' I didn't think you were serious," Cameron said, sliding a chair to the corner of the room while House stood back and rubbed his chin with his hand.

"I'm crippled, and you're one of the very few people I allow into my home, so…" he shrugged.

"What about Wilson…would've made more sense for him to be here rearranging your living room and doing heavy lifting."

He stared at the chair she had just moved and wrinkled his nose. "Nah, try it in the other corner."

She let out an exasperated sigh and placed her hands on her hips.

"I'm not speaking to Wilson right now…he broke the holy bonds of male friendship when he tattled to his fuck buddy some things I spoke to him in confidence," House said.

Cameron shook her head and plopped her exhausted body down in the chair she now plainly refused to move. "Sorry, House, this chair is staying where it is. I'm exhausted, I'm starving and I'm emotionally drained."

House walked around and sat in the sofa across from her. She had her eyes closed and was rubbing her temples.

"As a doctor, and a very handsome one at that, I feel it is my duty to relieve you of your symptoms," House said maniacally. She opened one eye and peered at him. "First, for your exhaustion, I prescribe you go in there and take a hot bath and relax your muscles. I promise not to bother you, although I insist on toweling you off when you're done. Second, I will order a pizza to ease your starvation, as I have to admit I'm feeling the same thing. And finally, for your emotional state, I have only one cure for that."

House rose and outstretched his hand, which she eagerly took. She stood and he pulled her close to him.

"What might that be, Dr. House?" she asked coyly.

"A night of unbelievable, soul-shattering love making…and that's just what I plan on doing, making love to you until sun breaks the horizon, and after that I plan on holding you in my arms and never letting go," he said before placing his lips to hers and stealing away her very breath.

"That sounds like the perfect cure," she whispered after breaking away. Opening her eyes she caught his staring back at her, and for the first time she saw the love and tenderness in them she always knew he was capable of. And that love was for her. _I do believe in miracles_, she repeated to herself.

"Tub, now," he demanded, pointing towards the bathroom.

"You got a second?" Wilson asked, popping his head into Cuddy's office.

Startled, she placed her hand to her chest, her eyes wide. "James…I mean, yes, Dr. Wilson, please come in. Have a seat." She remained frozen to her chair, trying to appear as nonchalant as possible. It was difficult, however, because she could not seem to stop replaying their incredible tryst in her mind.

"I think we need to stop hiding from each other and talk about this," Wilson said, his voice low.

Cuddy let out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding and closed her eyes, nodding. "You're right."

"What happened the other night was…" Wilson trailed off. Cuddy looked at him, fear written across her face. Was he going to admit it was a mistake? Was he too drunk to remember how great it was? Did she physically repulse him?

"Well, it was pretty amazing," he said, laughing softly and lowering his head, strands of brown hair covering his eyes.

Cuddy felt her heart leap into her throat. "It certainly was," she replied.

Wilson lifted his gaze and met her eyes. "Really? I mean, you think so too?"

She nodded, her smile widening.

"Oh thank God…I mean, I thought…I didn't know what you…" Wilson stammered. Cuddy stood from her seat and walked around her desk until she was standing directly in front of him, her thighs pressing on his knees.

"James, it was the greatest night I've had in a long time…ever, actually, in my life," she said sheepishly.

Wilson stood and in a flash had her in his arms kissing her passionately. She didn't put up any resistance, and while a voice in the back of her head was reminding her that her secretary was right outside the glass door, she just did not care. So much for idle gossip…

"Wait," she said, breathlessly. He looked at her puzzled. "Weren't you supposed to be helping House move furniture?"

"Hey, I thought I told you I am the designated towel boy in this house," House whined as Cameron exited the bathroom completely dry and dressed in one of House's t-shirts.

"The bath was nice, but my stomach demanded I hurry it up. Pizza here yet?" she asked eagerly.

As if on cue, the doorbell rang. "Whatever the lady wants…" House said, heading towards the door.

The pizza delivery man, or adolescent rather, handed the warm box to House. House slid it to the table next to the door why he pulled a wad of cash from his pocket. The delivery man peeked inside the door and caught his breath upon seeing Cameron leaning over the kitchen counter in nothing but her cotton undies and a t-shirt that left little to the imagination. She was reaching across for some napkins.

House handed the money to the man, but the man's hands did not move to take it from him. House looked up and noticed him staring. Following his gaze, he found Cameron bent over his counter, one of her slender legs bent at the knee as she reached. It was a sexy sight to behold, and he never felt more giddy over someone craving what was his. She finally straightened up, and he could have sworn he heard the pizza man begin to breathe again.

House looked back at the drooling man in his doorway. The pizza man looked at House, his eyebrows raised as if he had to ask.

"Yeah," House smirked. "I'm tappin' that. Keep the change," he said, shoving the money in the guy's hand and pushing him out of his doorway, slamming the door closed in his face.

Grabbing the pizza he headed back into the kitchen. Cameron's eyes lit up at the sight of the pizza box, and grabbed a plate impatiently. He placed it on the counter and watched her throw open the lid, load up her plate and devour all signs of cheese and pepperoni in less than five minutes.

"Feel better?" he asked as she wiped her mouth and hands.

"Much," she said, smiling. "Aren't you eating?"

"I wasn't sure if you intended to eat the whole pie by yourself before moving on to the cardboard box…I was afraid of getting my fingers bitten off," he said, grabbing a slice for himself.

She rolled her eyes and moved to the refrigerator for a bottle of water. She grabbed a beer for House and the two sat on the couch. They watched t.v. while House finished his pizza. Suddenly his phone began to ring.

Cameron reached over and picked up his phone. "It's Wilson," she said, reading the screen.

"I said I'm not speaking to him," House replied, sipping his beer.

"Hello?" Cameron answered, and House did a double take.

"You did not just answer my phone!" he said, shocked.

"Hey Wilson," Cameron continued, ignoring him. "You don't sound too surprised that I'm answering House's phone."

"What's he saying?" House asked, watching her intently. She was smiling.

"Uh-huh. Right. Oh, she did?" Cameron continued the conversation. House began to feel left out.

"What's he saying?" House asked again, tapping her on the arm. She shooed him away.

"I guess House failed to specify," she said into the phone.

"Tell him I'm pissed at him," House said loudly.

Cameron held up her hand in front of his face. "I don't know, something about you babbling to Cuddy about things he said about her. Yeah. Right. Oh, I know…" Cameron burst out into a fit of laughter. "He so is, I know…" she laughed.

"Great, my former best friend and my former girlfriend are already dishing the dirt on me," House spat.

"Wait, hang on a second Wilson, House is sulking…did you have something to say?" she asked, turning towards him.

House paused a moment and stared at her. "Oh, are you finally talking to ME now?"

She grinned and dropped the phone, pouncing in his lap.

"Whoa," House said, surprised.

"Wilson said you whine like a woman. Normally I'd take offense to such a sexist comment, especially coming from Wilson, but in this case I have to agree with him," Cameron said. "Something tells me this won't be the last time I'll have to side with Wilson against you. Can I still be your girlfriend?"

House rolled his eyes. "When you say it like that it sounds like we're in high school. Too creepy."

"So then are we lovers, is that more mature?" Cameron asked, grinning mischievously.

House regarded her a moment, his hands instinctively moving up and down her thighs. "We're so much more than that," he finally said. Her smile softened as his lips found hers.

A muffled voice calling _Cameron_ brought them back to reality. "Oh, geeze…Wilson, I'm so sorry," Cameron said, picking up the phone.

"Tell Wilson at least I'm man enough to stalk and harass the women I'm sleeping with instead of ducking and hiding from them like he is," House mumbled as close to the phone as possible.

House's lips moved down her neck as his hands trailed upwards, squeezing her hips. She moved deeper into his lap, grinding her hips against his own and he groaned, nipping the skin on her collarbone. Her eyelids fluttered close as she gripped his shoulder.

"Wilson…yeah…I gotta…I gotta go…ok, I'll tell him…whatever that means, I'll tell him…ok…yeah…" Cameron snapped the phone shut and dropped it back to the sofa before bringing her hand to his other shoulder. House's hands slid under her shirt and up to cup her breasts. Her breathing grew increasingly shallow.

"Greg," she whispered into his ear. The feel of her warm breath against his skin voicing his name made his body react, and he brought her hips down to show her.

"Mmmm, feels like you're ready to cure me, Dr. House."

**A/N**: Hey everyone, just one more chapter after this. Thanks so much for all the great feedback and lovely reviews. Still one more chappie to enjoy ;-)


	20. Chapter 20

A/N: Well this is the final chapter

**A/N: **Well this is the final chapter. I had a lot of fun writing this story, as I hope you have had reading it. I appreciate all the lovely reviews and alerts. You guys make it all worth while. I will now return to completing _Together_, my other Hameron fic that was placed on temporary hiatus while I satiated my muse who seemed to only feed me the inspiration for this story. So enjoy! And thank you!

**Chapter 20**

He trailed his tongue along her collar bone and she closed her eyes, drawing in a long breath as the heat from his mouth caused her body to rocket towards overload. His hands were still exploring her body, and she held on to his shoulders for dear life, afraid if she were to let go she'd fall backward into some abyss.

House relished the taste of her, the saltiness of her skin mixed with a hint of fruitiness from her body wash. His fingers worked magic over her body, faintly touching here, squeezing there, molding her to him. As they continued this dance, their breathing grew ragged and House knew he wouldn't be able to withstand this much longer before he would need to satisfy his undying need to be buried within her, to be one with her…

As if she could read his mind, she captured his lips in a passionate kiss, catching his tongue in a dangerous duel, clutching at his shoulders and pulling him impossibly closer to her. She was unable to form any words, so she needed to tell him with her body how much she needed him.

They broke apart, staring into each other's eyes for a brief moment, reading all the answers within that gaze. Slowly, she climbed off his lap and held out her hand to him, which he took without hesitation. He stood from the couch, grimacing as a sharp pain shot through his damaged thigh. Clenching his eyes shut, Cameron squeezed his hand and he opened his eyes, meeting her own. He read concern and love in them, and he knew that she would wait for him if he had to put off their night of love making. But he so did not want to put it off…

He took a few deep breaths and grabbed his Vicodin from his pocket, popping two pills into his mouth and dry swallowing them. She smiled faintly at him, still neither voicing a word. There was no need; they understood each other too well at this point.

Cameron leaned in a placed a chaste kiss against his lips, gently placing her hand on his cheek. Smiling at him, she walked away from him towards the bedroom, giving him the time he needed to let the drugs work their magic.

He paced the living room floor, thoroughly rubbing the absent muscle, screaming in his head for the pain to dissipate so he could follow her into the bedroom and find heaven once again. His mind demanded his body cooperate, and finally the pain dulled. Closing his eyes, he sighed and quietly thanked the stars it didn't take long.

The bedroom door was slightly ajar. Night had fallen, and the apartment was shrouded in shadows. Light from the full moon filtered through the window, and as he limped down the hall he noticed it peeking from behind the bedroom door. He stopped and lifted his finger, pushing the door open with ease. She was there, fully nude, sitting atop his bed and staring out the window, the moonlight casting her in a blue glow. She looked like something out of a fantasy, her creamy skin utterly flawless, her blonde hair seemingly translucent in the light. She moved her eyes over him, her desire still clearly evident, and as he entered the room he growled deep in his throat at the satisfaction that this goddess was entirely his and his alone.

Lifting his shirt over his head, he cast it to the side. Cameron moved to her knees as he reached the foot of the bed, wrapping her arms around his neck and drawing him into another loving kiss. Their lips were soft, melding together. Cameron moved her hands over his bare chest, gently scraping her nails against his abdomen as she moved lower, finally stopping at the button of his jeans. Quickly, she undid the button and zipper, and slid his pants down over his hips along with his boxers. He kicked them off and away.

Leaning down, she planted delicate kisses along his marred thigh, and he closed his eyes at the blissful sensation as she caressed and loved his one vulnerability. She would never make him feel ashamed, and with her he would never feel like he was less of a person because she completed him…made him whole.

Grabbing her arms, he raised her to find her lips again. Her petite hand wrapped around his engorged length, eliciting a moan from deep in his chest. His long fingers wound their way down her naked body until they reached the apex of her thighs, gently skimming her moist folds. Cameron threw her head back and gasped as he began to massage her center, gently inserting one finger then two, and she cried out, squeezing her hand harder around him before sliding her hand quickly up and down his shaft.

His fingers left her as his hands reached around her body to grab her ass and pull her tightly against him, her hand trapped between their bodies but still working him over.

"Allison," he whispered, his voice strained as he could feel the pressure begin to build in his groin.

"Yes," she responded seductively.

"I need to tell you something, before this goes any further. I need to tell you now, and not in the throes of an orgasm when emotions are heightened and people just babble any old thing, unable to discern if they truly mean it or not."

He reached down and stopped her hand, grabbing it tightly in his and pulling it up to his lips, kissing her palm softly. Staring at her hand, he found it difficult to meet her eyes as he uttered the words.

"I am in love with you," he began. Cameron drew in her breath and held it.

"I know," she replied. "You said…"

"No, you don't, and no, I didn't," he interrupted her. "I know I said it before, but you begged to hear it and I was about to explode. That's why I'm saying it now, so there's no confusion; my mind is clear. I…I love you."

She smiled and placed her hands on his cheeks so he would finally meet her eyes.

"I know," she repeated softly, smiling.

He shook his head and averted her eyes once more, tangling her fingers within his own and keeping his focus on their joined hands.

"I don't want to hurt you," he confessed.

"Then don't," she replied.

"I won't change, I can't. This is who I am, so it's inevitable. I'm not good for you."

"No, you're not," she admitted, causing him to look back up at her. "But I'm good for you. And besides, I don't want you to change…I never did."

"I can't make you any promises," he stated. "I can't say this will end in happily ever after."

"I don't live my life that way. As doctors we have the unfortunate advantage of seeing how precious and fleeting life really is. So we take this one day at a time. No one can predict the future, Greg. Things change too frequently. But for now, I'm here with you, and I don't plan on going anywhere anytime soon. So if you can handle that, then I think we'll be ok. I don't need the fairytale ending…I just need you. And I love you, too."

He sighed and closed his eyes before opening them, a new desire burning within them. His face turned very serious.

"Say it again," he said, his tone demanding. Her body shivered against him at the sound of it.

"I love you," she whispered in compliance.

He kissed her hard and she threw her arms around his neck, pulling him down on to the bed with her. He settled himself on top of her as she opened her legs, feeling him poised and ready at her entrance. She felt the tears well in her eyes as he pushed inside her inviting walls, the feeling of their union emotionally overwhelming.

House kept his eyes locked with hers, his hands on either side of her face as his thumbs wiped away the quiet tears that slid down her cheeks. She smiled at him before lifting her legs and locking her feet behind him, pushing him deeper within her. He bent his head and kissed her gently, pouring his love for her into that soft kiss. Finally their desire took over, and he began to move his hips, driving in and out of her as she raised her hips to meet his every thrust. He slid his hand down to cup her breast, bringing his mouth down to enclose his lips over it, teasing her nipple with his tongue as she rocked her head back and forth, feeling herself coming unglued at the power of it all. Burying her face in his neck, she nipped at his flesh. He pulled her head back and kissed her feverishly as his hips continued to move, his speed increasing and the power of his thrusts deepening.

He felt himself driving into her towards home, towards salvation, and the heat within his belly prepared to surge forward.

"Say it again," he demanded into her ear, his face pressed against hers.

"I love you," she cried, and arched her back as he thrust into her once more, bringing forth her soul as she felt her very essence explode from her body. He cried out, joining her in ecstasy as he released himself into her.

A moment later, after regaining their breathing, he rolled off her and on to his side. She curled against him, placing her head on his shoulder and her hand on his chest. He reached down and pulled the disheveled blankets over them and kissed the top of her head.

"That was…" she began, her voice trailing off as she still found it difficult to think let alone speak.

"Yeah, I know," he said.

Propping herself up on her elbow, she stared down at him with a raised eyebrow. "Don't get too full of yourself, you promised me an endless night of this you know."

He rubbed his head. "I may have been a bit ambitious," he said.

"You? No way." He glared at her. "Half a night maybe?"

"That's more realistic," he replied, nodding.

"Ok, I'll allow you a 15 minute break, but that's all you get," she said, tickling her fingers along his ribcage.

"Hey," he said, grabbing her fingers. "A bit bossy in the bedroom, aren't we?"

"No, just polite." She grinned and rolled over. He turned and spooned against her back, pulling the blankets tighter around them.

"Always the good girl, even during sex," he bit.

They lay there for what seemed like an eternity, staring out the window at the moon looming low in the sky. A thought suddenly occurred to him.

"What did Wilson want, anyway? Why did he call?"

She smirked. "Do you always think about Wilson when you're in bed with a naked woman?"

"Didn't I mention I'm into threesomes?"

She rolled her eyes. "He wanted to know if you needed any more help moving furniture, since Cuddy seemed to think he was the 'buddy' you wanted to take home with you." She chuckled.

"I never told her who my buddy was, just that I needed her permission for my buddy to leave early, too, to help me out. I'm innocent of all charges. Simple case of misinterpretation. She only assumed I meant Wilson."

"He also said to tell you something about there being several repeat performances in the past hour and a half," Cameron said, her confusion obvious.

House raised his eyebrows. "Wow…that's impressive."

"Do I even want to know what that means?" she asked.

"He's auditioning for boy toy of the year," House replied, closing his eyes and inhaling deeply, her scent enticing him. "Apparently it's a demanding, grueling, abusive process that will probably leave him crying naked in a corner of some dark alley."

Kissing the back of her shoulder, he tightened his hold on her.

"Should we be worried?" she asked, closing her eyes and rubbing her bottom against him.

"He brings it on himself," House replied, spreading his hand over her breast and thrusting his hips against her backside. "Now come here…break time is over."


End file.
